ICD-10 Codes: You'll Have One-to-One Hyperplasia Equivalents, But Tread Carefully

Does 'Endometrial thickening' mean you should report these codes? Well, not necessarily.

The switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 represents one of the most extensive impacts to a healthcare provider's business. So if the very thought of the dramatic increase in codes worries you, rest assured. You'll find simple one-to-one relationships between old and new codes.

That is also the case for hyperplasia; however you need to beware. You'll still need to carry over the same coding conventions.

Say for example your ob-gyn suspects hyperplasia. He traces and documents 'endometrial thickening' during an ultrasound examination; keeping this mind, what diagnosis should you report here?

Many coders all prey to this mistake

Just because your ob-gyn documents endometrial thickening doesn't mean the patient has endometrial hyperplasia. Many coders fall prey to this. (621.30 or 621.31).

ICD-10 Updates: Remember this snag. If you come face to face with the same situation in 2013, you shouldn't go for the straight forward hyperplasia equivalents N8500 (Endometrial hyperplasia, unspecified) and N8501 (Simple endometrial hyperplasia without atypia). These definitions are exactly the same.

ICD-10 Coding Tips: You should not be carried away by 'endometrial thickening'. Don't code this as hyperplasia because physicians do not always take the thickening of the uterus 'abnormal'; as a matter of fact, it is just a monthly ramp up for all women. You should not report hyperplasia until and unless the ob-gyn has carried out a biopsy and you have at hand a pathology report that corroborates this condition.

Way out: Since you have no code to describe the patient's condition, you should go for 793.5. Since endometrial thickening is a finding and not a diagnosis, you should locate the diagnosis code in the signs and symptoms section of ICD-0. If you look under thickened endometrium, this will take you to 793.5.

You will not see 'thickened endometrium' referenced at all; therefore you'd normally rely on the options given by one of the equivalent tables that have been produced based on the ICD-9 code 793.5.

Watch Out: If you look up the equivalent ICD-10 code for 793.5, you will find that the national Center for Health Statistics still lists R93.4; this is wrong as the uterus is not a urinary organ.

For more ICD-10 guidelines and updates, sign up for a one-stop medical coding guide like SuperCoder. Such a site comes with packed with all the information you need about ICD-10 to make a smooth transition.