Ob-Gyn Coding Alert

Question: I was wondering if someone could help. We have a newly pregnant patient who works in a vet office around cats and litter boxes. The doctor is ordering Toxoplasma IGG and IGM. We are okay with the test codes, but what diagnosis code would we use in this case?

Tennessee Subscriber

Answer: You are doing screening, but you might also be able to use the exposure codes for this testing.

Toxoplasmosis is a protozoal disease, so the screening code would be Z11.6 (Encounter for screening for other protozoal diseases and helminthiases). Although the patient is pregnant, payers would not consider this test to be antenatal screening, so you should not report Z36.89 (Encounter for other specified antenatal screening). If the result of the test is negative, you can report Z03.79 (Encounter for other suspected maternal and fetal conditions ruled out) at the next visit. If the test is positive, your diagnosis code will change to O35.8 (Maternal care for other (suspected) fetal abnormality and damage), which specifically lists toxoplasmosis as an inclusion term.