Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Hunt Down Hepatitis Exposure Code

Question: How should I code exposure to viral hepatitis?

Oregon Subscriber


Answer:
You should report V01.79 (Contact with or exposure to communicable diseases; other viral diseases; other viral diseases) for hepatitis exposure.

Reason: If you look up -Exposure- in the alphabetic index, you won't see hepatitis listed, but you will see -viral disease NEC V01.79.- Remember: NEC means -Not Elsewhere Classified.-

Flip to V01.79 in the tabular list and you-ll see that the range includes conditions classifiable to 042-078 and V08. Code range 070.x (Viral hepatitis) describes viral hepatitis.

Because hepatitis is not classified elsewhere in V01 and V01.7x specifically includes the 070.x range, V01.79 is the most appropriate code.

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