You Be the Coder:
Do You Know When Primary Can Be Secondary?
Published on Tue May 14, 2024
Question: Is it possible to code a secondary neoplasm as primary, or is a primary diagnosis always coded as such? California Subscriber Answer: While it may sound confusing, from a coding perspective, sometimes a secondary neoplasm (where the cancer has spread to, or metastasized) can be coded as a primary (principal or first-listed) diagnosis. Here’s why: When a treatment targets a cancerous [...]