Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: Have there been any changes in how you should report an ICD-10 code for the Zika virus? Notes indicate that one of our physicians recently treated an established patient with a confirmed Zika diagnosis; notes indicate a level-four office E/M service.

Florida Subscriber

Answer: Since October 1, there has been a new ICD-10 code on the books for Zika: A92.5 (Zika virus disease).

Remember:  If the date of service for your claim is on or after October 1, you should report 99214 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key components: a detailed history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity) for the E/M with A92.5 describing the visit.

If you are coding for a service dated before Oct. 1, 2016, however, you should not report A92.5. Before the new code came along, coders reported most instances of Zika with A92.8 (Other specified mosquito-borne viral fevers).

Check it out:  To see a complete list of the 2017 ICD-10 code additions, deletions, and revisions, see www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd10cm.htm.