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Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Wrangle With Remission Coding

Published on Mon Oct 10, 2005

Question: In the September Oncology Coding  Alert, you mention that not every cancer in remission merits a -history of- code. Where can I find guidance on this topic?


Iowa Subscriber
Answer: According to Coding Clinic, Second Quarter, 1992, you should only assign V10.6x (Personal history of malignant neoplasm; leukemia) if you have documentation that the patient is completely cured. -A patient in remission still has leukemia.-

If you look at V10.6 in your ICD-9 manual, you-ll see a note that this range of codes excludes leukemia in remission, which you should report with leukemia codes 204-208.

The V10.7x range (Other lymphatic and hematopoietic neoplasms) has a similar exclusion. Don't report these -history of- codes for conditions classifiable to 200-203 in remission. Details: Code range 200.xx includes lymphosarcoma and reticulosarcoma, 201.x covers Hodgkin's disease, 202.x is for all other malignant neoplasms of lymphoid and histiocytic tissue, and 203.x deals with multiple myeloma and immunoproliferative neoplasms.
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