Radiology Coding Alert

Question: 

Connecticut Subscriber

Code V72.83 (Other specified preoperative examination) should be the first-listed code, assuming that is the appropriate code for your case. When a patient presents for a preoperative evaluation only, ICD-9 official guidelines (section IV.N) state: "sequence first a code from category V72.8[x], Other specified examinations, to describe the pre-op consultations."

Then the guidelines instruct you to "assign a code for the condition to describe the reason for the surgery as an additional diagnosis." Finally, code "any findings related to the pre-op evaluation."

Resource: You can download the guidelines from www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd9cm_addenda_guidelines.htm.