Eli's Rehab Report

You Be the Coder:

Policemans Disease

Published on Wed Aug 01, 2001

Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the box below for the answer.

Question: Our physiatrist turned in a diagnosis of hip pain for a patient's problem stemming from a holster. Is this the most appropriate diagnosis, or is "policeman's disease" (ICD-9 729.2 ) more accurate?

Illinois Subscriber

Answer: Policeman's disease, 729.2, is also defined as "neuralgia, neuritis and radiculitis, unspecified," and it doesn't sound as if this most closely matches the physiatrist's assessment of the patient's condition. According to the diagnosis written in the patient's chart, you should use 719.45 (hip pain). If the claim is for a workers' compensation insurer, you should write the cause of injury on the claim form. Don't use an E code for injuries due to firearms, because the insurer will assume that the injury is related to a gunshot.

No matter who the insurer, you should always record the most precise diagnosis. Before you document the claim, ask the physiatrist if there is a more specific description of the patient's condition. If the patient is suffering from something more comprehensive, you can disregard the "hip pain" diagnosis and submit the claim more accurately.

Eli's Rehab Report

Medicare is Selective About Screening Tests and Procedures for Osteoporosis Patients
The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates that 1.5 million fractures per year [...]

Use Therapy Codes for Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Not Cardiac
Over 15 percent of patients seeing rehabilitation physicians suffer from cardiac or pulmonary conditions that [...]

You Be the Coder:
Policemans Disease
Test your coding knowledge. Determine how you would code this situation before looking at the [...]

News Alert:
Medicare Begins to Accept Preoperative Exams
Physiatrists who perform preoperative exams for patients undergoing hip replacements, meniscus repairs and other commonly [...]

Reader Question:
Arthritis with Underlying Cause
Question: How should I code for arthritis if an underlying cause is indicated (in this [...]

Reader Question:
Gait Training
Question: Our therapist did not note the amount of time she spent with a patient, [...]

Reader Question:
Diagnosis for FOP
Question: I received a chart with a diagnosis for "FOP," which is a bone disease, [...]

Reader Question:
Clicking Hands
Question: One of our patients presented because her hand "clicks" when she moves her fingers. [...]

Reader Question:
Orthotics
Question: Can we bill 97703 for orthotic checkout and 97504 for the fitting and training [...]

Reader Question:
Therapy Bundling
Question: I am having difficulty with CPT 97530 being bundled with an E/M [...]

Reader Question:
Surface EMGs
Question: What is the code for surface EMG? One of our physiatrists performs this for [...]

Reader Question:
Bilateral Bursitis
Question: I understand that using multiple modifiers can delay payment, but right and left modifiers [...]

Reader Question:
Use of Hospitals EMG Equipment
Question: I moved to a new office and don't have my EMG machine set up, [...]

View All