Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

Look to 438.x Codes For CVA Late Effects

Question: We are providing physical, occupational, and speech therapies to a patient who has hemiplegia affecting her dominant side, apraxia, and aphasia due to a stroke. How should we code?

-- Massachusetts Subscriber

Answer: Nursing is not involved, so you should list the appropriate therapy V code as primary.Remember, the V57.x (Care involving the use of rehabilitation procedures) codes can only be listed as primary, and should be used in therapy-only situations.

You'll use 438.x (Late effects of cerebrovascular disease) codes to indicate the late effects of cerebrovascular disease.

For this patient, list:

M0230a: V57.89 (Multiple training or therapy);

M0240b: 438.21 (Late effects of cerebrovascular disease; hemiplegia affecting dominant side);

M0240c: 438.84 (Other late effects of cerebrovascular disease; ataxia); and

M0240d: 438.11 (Late effects of cerebrovascular disease; speech and language deficits; aphasia).

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