NEONATE WITH OTHER SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS DRG Code 794

Question: How will I code interpretation of a pulmonary function test for a patient with suspected COPD if the results are abnormal? What separates the different COPD ICD-9 codes? Texas Subscriber Answer: Under Medicare ICD-9 coding rules, the pulmonologist can only bill [...]

Check out the codes for ‘other’ and ‘unspecified’ options, too. When the provider documents abnormal results for a cardiovascular test without documenting a specific diagnosis, your ICD-10-CM options will be similar to those you know for ICD-9-CM. ICD-9-CM Codes 794.30, [...]

  Question: How is interpretation of a pulmonary function test for a patient with suspected COPD coded when the results are abnormal? What about normal results? Indiana Subscriber   Answer: Under Medicare ICD-9 coding rules effective Jan. 1, 2002, the [...]

Read this op report and figure out how you would code it. Coding medical charts is always a difficult task, but when it comes to cardiac catheterizations, the year-to-year code changes and detailed instructions can confuse even a veteran medical [...]

Look past the procedures list to ensure your coding is compliant. Coding cardiac catheterizations requires sifting through enormous amounts of information to decipher which services the cardiologist provided. Then you really put your coding know-how to the test by determining [...]

Question: Is 426.82 appropriate for an ECG interpretation that shows long QT interval?Iowa SubscriberAnswer: No. The appropriate code for your case is 794.31 (Nonspecific abnormal electrocardiogram [ECG] [EKG]). "Care should be taken not to confuse long QT syndrome (426.82) with [...]

Question: How should I report the following case? A patient with an abnormal ECG presents for SPECT imaging at rest with 15 mCi of Tc-99m sestamibi. Then the patient received 6 mg of adenosine and another dose of Tc-99m sestamibi [...]

Question: Some of our cardiologists document narrow or wide QRS complex. What do these translate to in terms of ICD-9 coding? Tennessee Subscriber Answer: ICD-9 doesn't offer "specific codes for variations or abnormalities in QRS duration," according to the Heart [...]

Here's why listing V codes first is OK in some situations -- but you'll still need to watch your documentation. If you fear a denial every time you choose an ICD-9 code for a "normal" study, you're in luck with pre-op [...]

Here's why listing V codes first is OK in certain cases -- but watch your documentation. If you fear a denial every time you choose an ICD-9 code for a "normal" study, you're in luck with pre-op evaluations. Get the scoop [...]