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Anesthesia Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Documentation Guides for Occipital Headache

Published on Tue Mar 11, 2008

Question: What diagnosis applies to an occipital headache? Should I code for just a regular headache?Texas SubscriberAnswer: As always, only code to your physician's documentation. If he meant "occipital neuralgia," which is symptomatic with pain at the back of the head, you could use 723.8 (Other syndromes affecting cervical region; occipital neuralgia).If your physician simply documented "occipital headache," report 784.0 (Headache).
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