Q: | One of our patients was treated for breast cancer in 2007, and the PCP has checked ICD-9-CM code 174.9 on the superbill. Is this correct? |
A: |
In all likelihood, no. The coding guidelines for cancer state that “When the primary malignancy has been excised, no further treatment is directed to the site & there is no evidence of an existing malignancy,” the clinician must document ‘history of ______cancer’ and not the cancer diagnosis. [Source: International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, 2011] So if there is no evidence the patient’s cancer has returned, the correct ICD-9-CM code is v10.3. This answer was updated for ICD-10-CM. Read here. Read more by visiting our blog: Coding Cancers: A Common Charting Error |