Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert
Options Expand for Open Wounds of Foot and Ankle
New diagnosis codes will distinguish which foot and what type of wound it suffered.
Podiatry coders who were looking for more specificity in reporting open wounds of the ankle and foot have just over a year to wait. Under the ICD-10 diagnosis coding system, effective Oct. 1, 2015, you will pick a code based not only on whether the wound is complicated or has tendon involvement, but also based on which foot is involved, and what type of wound it is.
Open Wound of Ankle
ICD-9 groups open wounds of the knee, lower leg, and ankle together:
ICD-10 gives open wounds of the ankle its own series of codes (the knee and lower leg also get their own series), with specific codes for right and left ankle and type of wound (laceration, puncture, open bite).
For open wounds of the ankle without tendon involvement, the ICD-10 codes are:
Note: Wounds of muscles and tendons will have their own series of ICD-10 codes (S92-), which will specify which specific muscles are injured.
Open Wound of Foot
ICD-9 offers three codes for open wounds of the foot:
ICD-10 gets much more specific. Open wounds of the foot with tendon and muscle involvement will also be included in the S92- series. Open foot wounds without tendon involvement will be reported with:
7th character: At the end of the six-character ICD-10 codes above, you will add a character describing whether it is an initial encounter (A), subsequent encounter (D), or sequela (S). Example: An initial counter for a puncture wound with foreign body of the left foot would be coded S91.342A.
Toe wounds: ICD-10 codes describing wounds of the toes will be even more complex and detailed, with specific codes describing not only right or left foot, but great or lesser toe. Look for a discussion of those codes in a future issue of Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert.
Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert
- Hyperkeratosis:
Distinguish Corn and Callus Parings from Routine Care
Documenting diagnoses and findings can help you get deserved reimbursement. Paring or cutting of corns [...] - ICD-10:
Options Expand for Open Wounds of Foot and Ankle
New diagnosis codes will distinguish which foot and what type of wound it suffered. Podiatry [...] - News You Can Use:
CMS Answers ICD-10 Questions -- By Not Answering
Representatives stay mum about the details of the delay. The recent delay of ICD-10 until [...] - Advance Beneficiary Notices:
Know These 4 Categories of Noncovered Services
Sometimes it can be hard to determine what’s considered ‘noncovered.’ As most Part B practices [...] - Reader Question:
97760 Is Appropriate for Orthotics
Question: What’s the proper code to report for dispensing and fitting of orthotics in the [...] - Reader Question:
Focus on 'Incident-to' Rules
Question: The following scenario occurred in our practice: Physician A covered an established patient office visit [...] - Reader Question:
Tackle UB-04 vs. CMS-1500 Dilemma
Question: I used to bill for a facility and am new to the role of practice [...] - You Be the Coder:
Repeat 11750
Question: Our podiatrist performed a partial excision of the matrix of the lateral border of the [...]
