Ask An Expert: diabetic manifestations
| Q: | When an MRA patient has several diabetic manifestations, do I need to report all the diabetic codes even though there is a hierarchy? |
| A: |
Yes, and the creation of combo codes in ICD-10-CM makes coding multiple diabetic manifestations much easier. (Check out our blog on Combination Codes) There are a few reasons why you should code them all, assuming they were all assessed at … Read Full Post |
| Q: | The doctor documented that a patient has DM with glaucoma. How do I code this for MRA purposes? |
| A: |
This answer was updated for ICD-10-CM and with new coding information. Read here. Glaucoma can be a manifestation of a patient’s diabetes and the situation you describe would be coded as 250.5x and 365.44. Although a lot of diabetics also … Read Full Post |
| Q: | Can a patient’s varicose veins or venous stasis be caused by their DM and coded as manifestations of ICD-9-CM code 250.7x, diabetes with peripheral circulatory manifestations? |
| A: |
No. The ICD-9-CM coding guidelines state that diabetic gangrene (785.4) and diabetic peripheral angiopathy/PVD (443.81/443.9) are the manifestations associated with ICD-9-CM code 250.7x, diabetes with peripheral circulatory manifestations. |
| Q: | When an MRA patient has several diabetic manifestations, do I need to report all the diabetic codes even though there is a hierarchy? |
| A: |
Yes. The correct way to code the manifestation is with its associated diabetic ‘category.’ So, if the patient has CKD III, retinopathy and PVD, all secondary to diabetes, the correct ICD-9-CM codes to report are: 250.4x, 585.3, 250.5x, 362.01, 250.7x, … Read Full Post |