Tips to Help You Get Closer to ICD-10 Compliance

 As is likely, when ICD-9 becomes ICD-10, there will not always be a simple crosswalk relationship between old and new codes. Sometimes you will have more options that may need changing the way you document services and a coder reports it. Here are some examples of how ICD-10 will alter your coding options from October 1, 2013.

Rejoice sinusitis codes' one-to-one relationship for ICD-10

At present: When your doctor treats a patient for sinusitis, you should use the proper sinusitis code for sinus membrane lining inflammation. For acute sinusitis, report 461.x. For chronic sinusitis, frequent or persistent infections lasting more than three months – use 473.x.

For both acute and chronic conditions, you will select the fourth digit code based on where the sinusitis occurs. For example, for ethmoidal chronic sinusitis, you should use 473.2, Chronic sinusitis; ethmoidal. Your otolaryngologist will most probably prescribe a decongestant, pain reliever or antibiotics to treat sinusitis.

Good tidings: These sinusitis choices have a one-to-one match with soon-to-come ICD-10 codes. For acute sinusitis diagnoses, you will look at the J01.-0 codes. For example, 461.0 (Acute maxillary sinusitis) translates to J01.00 (Acute maxillary sinusitis, unspecified). Remember how the definitions are generally identical. Just as in ICD-9, the fourth digit changes to specify location.

For chronic sinusitis diagnoses, you will have to take a look at J32.- codes. For example, in the mentioned instance, 473.2 maps direction to J32.2 (Chronic ethmoidal sinusitis). What's more, this is a direct one-to-one ratio with identical definitions. Just like ICD-9, the fourth digit changes to specify location.

Physician documentation: Presently, the doctor should pinpoint the location of the sinusitis. This will not change in year 2013.

Tips: You will scrap the 461.x and 473.x options and turn to J01.-0 and J32.- in your ICD-10 manual. Apart from the change in code number and the addition of a letter, you should treat these claims the same as before.

Osteoarthritis will need heightened documentation in 2013

Imagine your diagnoses osteoarthrosis (715.xx-716. xx) in a new patient. These codes specify location, primary or secondary.

ICD-10 difference: After October 1, 2013, you should look to:

M15 (Polyosteoarthritis)

M16 (Osteoarthritis of hip)

M17 (Osteoarthritis of knee)

M18 (Osteoarthritis of first carpometacarpal joint)

M19 (Other and unspecified osteoarthritis).

These codes are broken down into location, primary and secondary such as your ICD-9 codes; however they also sometimes specify unilateral, bilateral and post-traumatic indications:

Physician documentation: In order to submit the most detailed diagnosis, the doctor will need to maintain osteoarthrosis documentation; however expand it to unilateral, bilateral, and/or post-traumatic specification. Some important terms are '"osteoarthritis," "arthritis," "arthrosis," "DJD," "arthropathy," "post traumatic arthritis," and "traumatic arthritis."

Tips: Note how codes M19.01--M19.93 entail unspecified locations. ICD-10 no longer group unspecified locations together with the specific locations for each type. You'll find them at the end of the code grouping (M19.90--"M19.93) for each specific type, however in an unspecified location.

What's more, traumatic osteoarthritis is now more properly indexed and described as post-traumatic osteoarthritis, the true condition.  Source URL :- http://www.supercoder.com/coding-newsletters/my-part-b-coding-alert/icd-10-3-tips-will-get-you-closer-to-icd-10-compliance-article