Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Plus: Get a glimpse at ICD-10's R65.1x section. When the oncologist documents SIRS resulting from cancer, ICD-9 has very specific rules for how to assign ICD-9 codes. Hint: If you report just one diagnosis code, you're setting yourself up for rejection. Help your claims sail through with these tips. Don't Settle for a Single Code You must report at least two codes for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) resulting from cancer with no subsequent infection: a code for the underlying cause (in this case, cancer) and "a code from subcategory 995.9[x] (Systemic inflammatory response syndrome)," instruct the ICD-9 official guidelines, Section 1.C.17.g, effective Oct. 1, 2009 (www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd9cm_addenda_guidelines.htm). You should sequence the diagnosis for the underlying cause first, followed by the SIRS diagnosis. And remember to assign a fifth digit for 995.9x to describe the presence or absence of acute organ dysfunction, as explained below. Base Choice on 'Organ Dysfunction' [...]