Pulmonology Coding Alert

Question: How should I code hypoxia in COPD?

Hawaii Subscriber

Answer: Hypoxia is the deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues. When there's a mismatch between oxygen supply and its demand at the cellular level, a hypoxic condition often occurs.

Hypoxia is not innate in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which means you may report the condition as an additional diagnosis when appropriate. You would code 799.02 (Hypoxemia) for this condition.

Before you report 799.02, make sure you clarify with the physician whether the hypoxia was transient or indicates the presence of acute, chronic, or acute-on-chronic hypoxemic respiratory failure. If respiratory failure is documented, you should not code 799.02. Hypoxia is integral to acute respiratory failure.