Wiki Question about coding PAD and Diabetes - If a patient has Diabetes

[Carroll1220]

Good afternoon!

If a patient has Diabetes but also has PAD but the doctor does not specifically state a correlation between the two, would you still code the diabetes as 250.7 and the PAD as 444.81? Or would he have to state that the diabetes was the cause for the PAD?

Thank you!
Noelle

 

[Porter_kd]

As I was taught, Do not assume a causative relationship if the physician does not establish one. Look for, "due to", "caused by" or "associated with".

 

[aleciaaa10]

Correct. If there is no correlation, you drop back to the unspecified code 250.00 (unless there are other diabetic manifestations) and code PAD as 443.9.