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 LIMB
Long: 170.4, Malignant neoplasm of scapula and long bones of upper limb
Short: 170.5, Malignant neoplasm of short bones of upper limb
LOWER LIMB
Long: 170.7, Malignant neoplasm of long bones of lower limb
Short: 170.8, Malignant neoplasm of short bones of lower limb
