Anesthesia Coding Alert

Heads up: Be sure to include an outcome code.

Currently, you document a cesarean delivery by reporting one of two diagnosis codes:

• ICD-9 669.70-- Cesarean delivery, without mention of indication, unspecified as to episode of care or not applicable
• ICD-9 669.71-- Cesarean delivery, without mention of indication, delivered, with or without antepartum condition.

ICD-10: When ICD-10 goes into effect, your choice becomes even simpler because you'll have only one option: O82 (Encounter for cesarean delivery without indication).

This is how you'll find these codes in the ICD-10 Alphabetic Index:

Admission (for) - see also Encounter (for)

• - delivery, full-term, uncomplicated O80
• -- cesarean, without indication O82

• - cesarean (for)
• -- without indication O82

• - delivery, full-term, uncomplicated O80
• -- cesarean, without indication O82

Tip: Some payers require providers -- even anesthesia -- to include a delivery code from the appropriate procedure classification. In those cases, include an outcome of delivery code (Z37.0).