cathya35
Contributor
I work in risk adjustment so we are still coding in ICD-9 (charts from 2015). I would appreciate it if anyone could help for the correct coding for the following diagnoses on an op report: degenerative lumbar disk disease L4-5 and L5-S1, bilateral L5-S1 foraminal stenosis, lateral recess stenosis L4-5 and L5-S1, and lumbar 5 and sacral 1 radiculopathies. I had coded 722.52 (assuming that the stenosis and radiculopathies were included in code 722.52 per excludes notes under 724 and AHA Coding Clinic 1989 2nd quarter). My auditor and coding manager both state that 722.52, 724.02, and 724.4 should all be coded. It was not specified in the op report whether the stenoses or radiculopathies were due to the degenerative disk disease.
I was also told on another chart that coding 721.3 and 724.3 for osteoarthritis of the spine and sciatica was correct, but I thought in this case as well that only 721.3 should be coded. It was not specified in the report whether that the sciatia was due to the spondylosis or not.
I am confused by this. I have only been coding for 6 months, so I am still learning a lot. Can anyone help explain this so I feel comfortable coding these situations in the future?
Cathy
I was also told on another chart that coding 721.3 and 724.3 for osteoarthritis of the spine and sciatica was correct, but I thought in this case as well that only 721.3 should be coded. It was not specified in the report whether that the sciatia was due to the spondylosis or not.
I am confused by this. I have only been coding for 6 months, so I am still learning a lot. Can anyone help explain this so I feel comfortable coding these situations in the future?
Cathy