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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

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170.4 or 170.5? Master the Long and the Short of Bone Neoplasm Codes

Published on Mon May 14, 2012

Take careful note of which code to turn to when the bone is NOS.Coding arm and leg bone neoplasms can slow down your workflow if you can't decide whether a bone is long or short. Keep this list nearby to help you move more swiftly through your claims.Tip: For both the upper and lower limbs, ICD-9-CM lists "bones NOS" under the "long bones" code. NOS means the medical record does not provide enough information to select a more specific code.UPPER LIMBLong: 170.4, Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of upper limb Acromion Bones NOS of upper limb Humerus Radius UlnaShort: 170.5, Malignant neoplasm of short bones of upper limb Carpal Cuneiform, wrist Metacarpal Navicular, of hand Phalanges of hand Pisiform Scaphoid (of hand) Semilunar or lunate Trapezium Trapezoid UnciformLOWER LIMBLong: 170.7, Malignant neoplasm of long bones of lower limb Bones NOS of lower limb Femur Fibula TibiaShort: 170.8, Malignant [...]
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