Wiki Icd-9 - Can someone explain

[tristate]

Can someone explain what "subjective visual disturbance" is? I'm not sure whether to use 368.10 or 368.9. I do radiology coding and the doctor ordered a carotid artery ultrasouind for "visual impairment" My dilemma is that Medicare will pay for 368.10 but not 368.9. My first choice is 368.9, but of course the manager wants it coded 368.10 so we'll get paid. I may use 368.10 if I have a better understanding of what it means.

Thank you
Debby

 

[vpcats]

Can someone explain what "subjective visual disturbance" is? I'm not sure whether to use 368.10 or 368.9. I do radiology coding and the doctor ordered a carotid artery ultrasouind for "visual impairment" My dilemma is that Medicare will pay for 368.10 but not 368.9. My first choice is 368.9, but of course the manager wants it coded 368.10 so we'll get paid. I may use 368.10 if I have a better understanding of what it means.

Thank you
Debby

Medicare doesn't like any .9 diagnosis and they want you to get more specific when there are other more specific 5 digit codes.
The 368.9 only says Unpsecified visual disturbance.
The 368.10 is not really THAT much better (in my mind) as it is almost the same except that this one specifies it is a subjective disturbance (it's according to the patient), plus it's 5 digits. I would use the 368.10 with no problem as long as it is the patient's perception that she/he has a visual disturbance but is not necessarily saying what.