Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Question: We received an order for some lab tests and the physician stated that the diagnosis was “Long COVID.” What is the correct diagnosis code?

South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: You’ll assign U09.9 (Post COVID-19 condition, unspecified) to report a long COVID diagnosis.

According to the July 7, 2022, MLN Connects^® newsletter, “For a post COVID-19 condition, unspecified, like Long COVID, use code DX U09.9” (www.cms.gov/outreach-and-educationoutreachffsprovpartprogprovider-partnership-email-archive/2022-07-07-mlnc#_Toc107993810).

In the newsletter, Medicare also guides you to review the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines on reporting COVID-19. The additional information doesn’t explicitly say “long COVID,” but section I.C.1.g.1.m, “Post COVID-19 Condition,” of the fiscal year (FY) 2023 guidelines instructs you to use one or more codes “for the specific symptom(s) or condition(s) related to the previous COVID-19 infection, if known” and U09.9.

Reminder: You shouldn’t assign code U09.9 for symptoms of a current COVID-19 infection. In that case, you’d assign U07.1 (COVID-19) if the patient is diagnosed with the infection.