Wiki Diabetes codes???

[teddyjr_r69@yahoo.com]

ELLO,

I've been a coder for sometime now (5 yrs) and I have some colleagues that code DIABETES differently than I do.

A pt. with DM neuropathy uncontrolled. (Type II)

CODES RENDERED..... 250.00, 250.62
Their rationale is...Diabetes is controlled by itself (250.00), and The DM with Neuropathy is uncontrolled (250.62)????? and bothe codes appear on the same file, same pt, at exactly the same visit. DRIVIN' ME NUTS!!!!
I'm confused because corrt me if I'm wrong these are both pertaining to DM and you can only use one or the other but cannot occur at the same time at the same patient. I feel dumb but I need to re-confirm myself first before I call their attention. Maybe it is something "NEW" LOL!!!!!!!

 

[dclark7]

If you read the description for 250.00, it states"Diabetes Mellitus WITHOUT mention of complication (Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication classifiable to 250.1-250.9)", therefore you would only use 250.00 if the patient does not have any complications or if the chart does not mention any. If the patient has any complications you would then use whichever code describes the problem (in your case neuropathy 250.6x). If the patient has more than one complication you would use as many codes as needed to describe the complications.

Maybe you could print out the ICD Coding Guidelines for your coworkers to reference. Good Luck.

Doreen, CPC

 

[teddyjr_r69@yahoo.com]

Diabetes....

Thank you for your reply. when I started here I everybody is doing the same thing over and over again and it really bothers me.