ICD 10 Coding Alert

Did the annual ICD-10-CM updates pulmonology throw you for a loop?

The annual ICD-10-CM updates, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2023, included several additions for the Chapter 10 code set.

Check out these scenarios and see if you can code them appropriately. Find the answers on page 5.

Question 1: A patient presented to a pulmonologist with complaints of fever, red and swollen skin, cough, and chest pain. The physician captured a history, performed a physical examination, ordered a chest X-ray, and took blood for lab testing. After reviewing the results, the pulmonologist diagnosed the patient with pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii.

What diagnosis code(s) will you assign for the encounter?

Question 2: A 60-year-old patient visited the pulmonologist’s office for a follow-up after a lung transplant. The patient reported increased shortness of breath, fatigue, and a persistent dry cough. After conducting a thorough examination and reviewing the patient’s recent pulmonary function tests showing a decline in lung volume, the pulmonologist diagnosed the patient with restrictive allograft syndrome.

What diagnosis code(s) will you assign for the encounter?

Question 3: A 45-year-old patient came to the pulmonologist complaining of persistent wheezing, shortness of breath, and productive cough with yellowish sputum. The pulmonologist performed a physical examination and noted decreased breath sounds and crackles. A chest X-ray was ordered, which showed signs of bronchial wall thickening. A spirometry test confirmed airflow obstruction. After a high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan revealed dilated and thick-walled bronchi, the pulmonologist diagnosed the patient with chronic asthmatic bronchitis and bronchiectasis with acute exacerbation. Immediate treatment was initiated to manage the exacerbation.

What diagnosis code(s) will you assign for the encounter?