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Additions and revision to this year’s International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM)—which go into effect on October 1—reflect tinkering with existing codes and expansion of others to boost granularity and clarity in your reporting of diagnostic work. To that add a number of new codes—including one that acknowledges the arrival of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus nationwide.
In obstetrics, there are now specific codes for different types of puerperal infection and a requirement for more diagnostic information when a patient has venous complications during pregnancy and intrapartum.
On the gynecology side, changes include the way you report a finding of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. New codes have been created to report:
- visits and procedures for fertility preservation
- inconclusive mammography
- preprocedural laboratory testing.
Remember: On October 1, 2009, the new and revised codes discussed here, plus others, will be added to the national ICD-9-CM code set. Be cautioned that, as in past years, there is no grace period!
Changes to obstetric codes
PUERPERAL INFECTIONS
Before October 1, 2009, all puerperal infections were lumped into one code: 670.0 (Major puerperal infection). This changes now: You’ll be required to document, more specifically, the type of infection that your patient has.
Continue to report code 670.0 for an unspecified puerperal infection; but, if you admit the patient to the hospital, using that unspecified code may lead to a first-submission denial of claim. A fifth digit is also required for the unspecified and new more specific codes: 0 (unspecified as to episode of care or not applicable), 2 (delivered with mention of postpartum complication), or 4 (postpartum condition or complication) (to be reported only once the patient is discharged after delivery).
670.1x [0,2,4] Puerperal endometritis
670.2x [0,2,4] Puerperal sepsis
670.3x [0,2,4] Puerperal septic thrombophlebitis
670.8x [0,2,4] Other major puerperal infection
VENOUS COMPLICATIONS IN PREGNANCY AND PUERPERIUM
Code category 671 (venous complications in pregnancy and the puerperium) retains its current codes, but ICD-9 has added notes to clarify that additional information is required.
For example: When a patient has deep-vein thrombosis, either antepartum (671.3x) or postpartum (671.4x), assign a secondary diagnosis from code category 453 (Other venous embolism and thrombosis). If, in addition, the patient has been taking an anticoagulant for a long time and is currently taking it, report code V56.81, as well, to indicate this.
Gyn code changes
HYPERPLASIA
Over time, codes for hyperplasia have evolved from a system that described mild, moderate, severe, or atypical, to one in which hyperplasia was subdivided by architectural complexity, such as simple versus complex and whether or not atypia were present. Even this terminology fails, however, to adequately identify patients’ risk of cancer to improve therapeutic triaging.
In more recent years, physicians and pathologists have begun to distinguish benign hormonal effects of unopposed estrogen, classified as benign hyperplasia, from pre-cancerous lesions classified as endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN). To capture this newer terminology, ICD-9 has added two new codes.
ICD-9 has elected to retain existing codes in this area of diagnosis and assessment because the old terminology is still used by many older practicing physicians. The hope, however, is that, over time, more accurate distinctions between the types of hyperplasia will replace the older distinctions.
A note in ICD-9 will instruct providers that older codes may not be reported if one of the newer codes is assigned.
An additional note that accompanies the EIN diagnosis indicates that, if a patient is given a diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of the endometrium with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, the code for the malignancy (182.0, Malignant neoplasm of body of uterus; corpus uteri, except isthmus) would be reported instead of the EIN code.
621.34 Benign endometrial hyperplasia
621.35 Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia
Routine mammograms are, as you know, sometimes labeled “inconclusive” because of what are termed “dense breasts.” This finding isn’t considered to represent an abnormal condition, but it does require further testing to confirm that no malignant condition exists that cannot be seen on mammogram.
Because many payers cover a repeat mammogram only when an abnormal finding is reported, a new code has been needed—and has now been added—to explain the reason for a second mammogram.
Because of the added code, ICD-9 also decided to revise wording for the 793 code category (until now, it’s been Nonspecific abnormal findings on radiological and other examination of body structure) to a more general heading of Nonspecific findings, which covers inconclusive and abnormal findings.