Pulmonology Coding Alert

Will your coding expertise bloom, or does it need some TLC?

Your pulmonology practice may see patients experiencing exacerbations of asthma and allergies as the flowers and trees begin to bloom. Before your pile of provider reports starts to grow, tend to your coding skills to ensure you’re ready to accurately code encounters.

Take a look at the questions below to test your allergy and asthma coding skills.

Analyze Asthma Caused by Allergies

Question 1: A patient with a history of mild persistent asthma presents to your pulmonology practice with coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. The patient also complains they’re experiencing symptoms associated with their hay fever allergy. After a physical examination, the pulmonologist diagnoses the patient with an acute exacerbation of their mild persistent asthma due to hay fever.

What code(s) would you assign for the patient’s diagnosis?

Differentiate Extrinsic and Intrinsic Asthma

Question 2: ICD-10-CM parent code J45.- (Asthma) features an Includes note that contains extrinsic asthma and intrinsic asthma.

What is the main difference between the two conditions?

Recognize How to Code Eosinophilic Asthma

Question 3: A patient presents to your pulmonology practice with shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and a stuffy nose. The patient has been experiencing the symptoms daily, and they are limiting their day-to-day activities. The patient has also needed to use their inhaler every day since the physician prescribed the inhaler.

The pulmonologist previously diagnosed the patient with moderate persistent asthma with acute exacerbation, but the patient complains the treatments aren’t working. After a physical examination where the physician observed nasal polyps, the physician orders a blood test to check for the patient’s white blood cell (WBC) count. The blood test results showed elevated WBC levels, and the physician diagnosed the patient with eosinophilic asthma.

What code(s) will you use to report the patient’s diagnosis?

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