Introduction to ICD-9

Code Selection

Laura Sullivan, CPC

Coordinator
Corporate Compliance Auditing & Education
Summer 2010

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 Legal Stuff
The information provided here is personal opinion only and
should not be construed as legal advice. Each provider is
ultimately responsible for bills submitted under their NPI
numbers. For specific legal guidance on any billing issue,
consult with your Medicare Carrier and/or your health care
attorney.

The information contained in this presentation should not be

copied or distributed without the permission of WVUPC or
Laura Sullivan, CPC.

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 What is ICD-9?
- International Classification of Diseases, ninth
revision

- A translation of medical terminology for diseases

and procedures into a numeric code

- National standard coding language used to define

the patient’s condition, diagnosis, disease, injury
or other reason for medical treatment.

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 Reason for ICD-9
• Tracking of morbidity and mortality to assess international
health and disease trends

• To assist 3rd party payors in claim reimbursement by defining a

patient’s condition

• To accurately identify injuries and accidents

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 Structure of ICD-9
There are 3 volumes of ICD-9 published each year.

Volume 1- Tabular Listing: Diagnosis

Volume 2- Index to Diseases: Diagnosis

Volume 3- Index to Diseases and Tabular list:

Procedures (this is for hospital use only)

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 Appendices to Volume 1
Appendix A- Morphology of Neoplasm's
Appendix B- n/a
Appendix C- Classification of Drugs
Appendix D- Classification of Industrial Accidents
Appendix E- Listing of 3 digit ICD-9 codes

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 Selecting an ICD-9 Code

The following information was taken directly

from the ICD-9 Expert Edition published by the
AAPC.

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 Identify the Reason
- Identify the reason for the patient’s visit. Sign, symptom,
diagnosis and/or condition to be coded

- Do not code conditions that are referred to as, “possible”

or “rule out”

- Only use defined symptoms, illnesses or diseases such as,

pain, fever, or blurry vision etc…

- Do not try to search under the location such as, wrist,

leg, or arm etc..
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 Main Terms
• Using Volume 2 look up the main term for the
patient’s reason for the visit as identified in
Step 1

• The condition to search for is expressed in

nouns, adjectives and eponyms.

• Do not search for a code using the body area

or location (it won’t be listed)
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 Using the Index
• Using Volume 2, the alphabetically index to
start your search for the correct code

• Looking up the term such as pain, fracture,

obstruction, etc..

• You must use both Volume 1 & 2 to select the

most accurate code available
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 Verifying
Using Volume 1
• Once you have identified the appropriate code
in the Volume 2 index then review that code
in Volume 1, tabular listing

• Review the notes for the code under the

tabular listing

• Making sure that you code to the highest level

of specificity
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 Example
Patient Condition: Abdominal Pain

- In the tabular listing look up the term, “pain” followed

by the location, “abdominal”.

- 789.0 √ is what you will find the √ lets you know that
you need a fifth digit to use this code correctly

- Locate 789.0 in the tabular listing to find the 5th digit

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 Selecting a 5th digit
Volume 1 Tabular list states the following:

789.0 √ Abdominal pain

Cramps, abdominal

Using the “box” at the beginning of the 789. code set you need to select the specific location of the pain

0- unspecified site
1- right upper quadrant
2- left upper quadrant
3- right lower quadrant
4- left lower quadrant Example: 789.04 would
5- periumbilic be appropriate for
6- epigastric “abdominal pain in the
left lower quadrant
7- generalized
0- other specified site
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 Exceptions
• As with anything there are exceptions to every rule.

• Reading each instruction or guideline associated with

the code is key

• “Code first” instructions, or “code also” are common in

infections and chronic diseases

• Etiology and manifestation combinations are common

in diabetes and other diseases

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 Instructional Notes
• Listed with each code are guidelines or “instructions” on
the use of the code

Example: A patient with severe sepsis

995.92 states that you need to “code first the
underlying infection”. You would need an additional
code that describes the infection. Such as a UTI
(599.0), Pneumonia (486) etc..

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 Clinical Example
A patient presents for care with abdominal pain she has had
for 2 weeks. She has no history of a similar complaint. BS
done today indicates that her DMI is uncontrolled on insulin.
BP is well controlled on medication.

789.00 Abdominal pain, etiology unknown

250.03 Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled
401.9 Hypertension, controlled

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 Hypertension Table
• This table contains a listing of conditions that
are due to, or associated with hypertension

Headings in the table

– Malignant- accelerated, severe form of HTN
– Benign- mildly elevated BP
– Unspecified- has not been specified as malignant
or benign

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 Neoplasm Table
• This table is broken down into 4 categories

– Malignant- severe form having the property for

destructive growth and metastasis
– Primary- original location or site of malignancy
– Secondary- area where it has spread
– Carcinoma In Situ- contained or confined to original
site or location
– Benign- non-malignant
– Uncertain Behavior- pathology has been unable to
determine the type
– Unspecified- insufficient data to be able to categorize

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 Coding Neoplasm
- For a malignant neoplasm, determine the primary and
secondary sites but code the site being treated. (if the 2nd
location is the primary reason for care, select the code from
the secondary column and code it first)
- When information regarding primary site is unavailable use
199.1

Example:
A patient is treated for metastatic breast cancer of the left, lower-
outer quadrant that originated from the middle lobe of the lung.

198.81 Secondary malignance of lower-outer quad of breast

162.4 Neoplasm, primary middle lobe of lung

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 Table of Drugs and Chemicals
• This is a listing of specific types of agents that
can cause a reaction or poisoning if taken
incorrectly or in error
• Code first the identity of the manifestation
• The second code to identify the drug causing
the reaction

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 Index to External Causes of Injuries
and Poisonings
• Used to classify environmental events,
circumstances, and other conditions as the
cause of injury or adverse effect
• E codes
– E850-E858 Accidental poisoning
– E930-E949 Therapeutic Use
– E950-E952 Suicide Attempt
– E960-E969 Assaults
– E980-E959 Undetermined

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Poisoning and Adverse Effect of Drugs
- When a prescription medication or drug is
taken as prescribed and the patient developed
a reaction
- Code the effect first, then the appropriate E
code

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 Example of Drug Reaction
25y old female was given trimethobenzamide HC1
capsules for severe nausea and vomiting. She
developed dizziness and headache. Patient returned
to doctor for change in meds.

780.4 dizziness
339.3 Drug induced headache
E933.0 Anti-allergic and antiemetic drugs causing adverse effect
in therapeutic use

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 Example of External Cause
35y old female falls through a plate glass window at
home and sustains a deep 4in laceration on upper
arm.

880.03 Open wound of upper arm, w/o complication

E882 Accidental Fall from or out of a building
E849.0 Place of occurrence, home

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 V codes
Used when the circumstances of the encounter are due
to something other than a disease or injury.

Such as:
- Pt is not currently ill (wellness visit)
- Problem or circumstance that could influence the pt’s health
in the future (family history of colon cancer)
- Long term condition requiring continuous care (Coumadin
therapy)
- Newborns to indicate birth status
- Encounters for after care services (chemotherapy)

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 V Codes Examples
1. V12.51 personal history of DVT
2. V07.4 Long term use of hormone therapy
3. V30.01 Single Live born, in hosp by C-section
4. V01.1 Exposure to TB
5. V04.81 Need for prophylactic , influenza
6. V09.0 Infection with penicillin resistance
(used in conjunction with the infection code)

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 Diagnosis Coding
• Diagnosis coding does not drive the amount of
payment made by third party payors, however it
is used to determine if the service is payable, or
who may be responsible for payment.

• For example, in an accident the pt’s homeowner’s

insurance may be responsible or the pt’s policy
may not cover items/visits related to obesity.

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 ICD-10 is coming

• October 1, 2013 ICD-10 will replace ICD-9

• Adding an additional 45,000 codes

• Changing from 3-5 characters to 3-7 characters

• Very specific code sets and levels

• Providers will need to be more specific in their

documentation of the reason for the visit, and/or condition
specific details (see examples)

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 Examples of ICD-10 codes
Examples:
M71.031 Abscess of bursa, right wrist
M71.032 Abscess of bursa, left hip
T50B96A Under-dosing of viral vaccine (1st encounter)
J10.81 Influenzal gastroenteritis
M12.152 Kaschin-Beck disease left hip
M12.151 Kaschin-Beck disease right hip
M32.11 Endocarditis in systemic lupus erythematosus
M32.12 Pericarditis in systemic lupus erythematosus
M32.13 Lung involvement is systemic lupus erythematosis

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 Reminders
• Don’t code a diagnosis that has not been confirmed, for example: HIV
should not be coded unless it has been confirmed

• Hypertension and elevated blood pressure are not the same thing, one is a
confirmed disease and one is a condition that the patient may only have at
the moment

• Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not the same

• When coding for obesity the BMI of the patient needs to be coded

• Read each coding guidelines carefully for additional instructions

• Clearly state in the medical record the symptoms or condition of the

patient

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 Sources
1 . “Deciphering Codes: Fraud & Abuse for Coders and Coding
Insight for Healthcare Lawyers”, 1st Edition, Editors: Rhonda
Buckholtz and Robert A Pelaia

2. “ICD-9”, Expert for Physician Coding, Publisher: AAPC

3. www.cms.org

4. www.palmettogba.com

5. ICD-10-CM Preview, Publisher: AHIMA

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 Contact information
Laura A Sullivan, CPC
Coordinator
Corporate Compliance Auditing and Education
Room 2050
304-347-1374

[email protected]