Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: What diagnosis should we report with 99420 for postnatal depression screenings?

Missouri Subscriber

Answer: The most accurate diagnosis is V79.8 (Special screening for mental disorders and developmental handicaps; other specified mental disorders and developmental handicaps). You're correct in reporting 99420 (Administration and interpretation of health risk assessment instrument [e.g., health hazard appraisal]) for the screening itself.

Avoid this: At first glance, you might assign 648.44 (Mental disorders; postpartum condition or complication) as the diagnosis. This is incorrect, however, because 648.44 indicates the patient has already been diagnosed with postnatal/postpartum depression -- not that she's being screened for the condition.