Anesthesia Coding Alert

ICD-10 will expand options for more specificity.Anesthesia providers sometimes rely on underlying conditions such as Parkinson's disease to help justify why a patient needs anesthesia. ICD-10 brings several new Parkinson's diagnosis options to consider, so accurate coding will depend on how many details your providers include in their documentation. Extra time: Although the implementation date of ICD-10 will happen later than October 2013, it's still good to keep familiarizing yourself with what the change will bring.Currently, ICD-9-CM has two diagnoses for Parkinson's disease, and each qualifies the types of conditions included: 332.0 (Paralysis agitans) encompasses idiopathic or primary forms of Parkinsonism or Parkinson's disease, or Parkinson's NOS. 332.1 (Secondary Parkinsonism) includes neuroleptic-induced Parkinsonism or Parkinsonism due to drugs. ICD-10 changes: Diagnosis 332.0 will change to G20 (Parkinson's disease) under ICD-10. Coding guidelines state that you shouldn't report G20 for dementia and Parkinsonism; instead, submit G31.83 under ICD-10.Diagnosis 332.1, however, will [...]