Pediatric Coding Alert

Question: Some patients' parents are requesting that their children receive the H1N1 flu vaccine this fall. What product code would we use?

New York Subscriber

Answer: You would report the H1N1 flu product with the general pandemic vaccine code 90663 (Influenza virus vaccine, pandemic formulation), according to an AMA CPT Category 1 Vaccine Codes clarification. "The appropriate immunization administration code (90465-90474) may be reported in conjunction with 90663 for the administration of the vaccine, depending on the route of administration and the age of the patient," states the update available at www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/362/vaccine-codes.pdf.

Beware: The Federal Drug Administration has not yet approved the swineflu vaccine, which is not included in the traditional influenza vaccines.

Therefore, 90663 is not listed on the 2008 Average Sales Price file.

-- Information and/or answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CENTC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CHCC, president of CRN Healthcare Solutions and senior coder and auditor for The Coding Network; Charles Scott, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician at Medford Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in New Jersey; and Richard Tuck, MD, FAAP, pediatrician at PrimeCare of Southeastern Ohio in Zanesville.