Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

Question:If a patient receives treatment and the condition was resolved, which ICD-9 code should I report if the patient returns in six months for a follow-up visit?Connecticut SubscriberAnswer: The most accurate way to code visits to follow up on treatment for a previous condition is to report a V code as the primary diagnosis, with the condition that the podiatrist is following up on as the secondary diagnosis. You can find the follow-up V codes in the V67.x series in the ICD-9 manual. Although none specifically mention podiatry treatments, these are some examples of V codes that might be applicable:V67.00 -- Follow-up examination following unspecified surgeryV67.59 -- Other follow-up examinationV67.6 -- Follow-up examination following combined treatmentV67.9 -- .Unspecified follow-up examination.Beware: Some payers won't accept a V code as a primary diagnosis to support payment. Some experts advise reporting the original diagnosis as the primary ICD-9 code, arguing that it best describes the reason the [...]