Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: If the patient has had a previous cesarean, are regular ob visits coded with V22.1 or 654.23, or are both reported?

Kentucky Subscriber

Answer: If you use the ob chapter code for a complication of pregnancy or a condition that is complicating the pregnancy (e.g., 654.23, Previous cesarean delivery, antepartum condition or complication), you should not also use the supervision of normal pregnancy code V22.1 (Supervision of other normal pregnancy) or V22.0 (Supervision of normal first pregnancy). If the physician is documenting that the prior cesarean is complicating the antepartum care, then indicate this condition in the record. If it is not complicating care and everything is normal, use only the V22.1 or V22.0 code for the visits. And of course you are not submitting these for payment at this time, simply documenting the reason for the visit in your records.