Revenue Cycle Insider

Question: Encounter notes indicate that the patient suffered from “dystonic CP.” Should I code this condition with the “other” cerebral palsy (CP) code G80.8?

RCI Subscriber

Answer: No, you shouldn’t report G80.8 (Other cerebral palsy) for this patient’s CP. It might be appropriate if there weren’t a more specific option for dystonic CP — but there is.

On the claim, report G80.3 (Athetoid cerebral palsy). You should choose this code because, beneath the entry for G80.3, these alternate terms are listed:

• Double athetosis (syndrome)
• Dyskinetic cerebral palsy
• Dystonic cerebral palsy
• Vogt disease

If the neurologist lists any of these conditions as a patient’s diagnosis, report G80.3. Reserve G80.8 for CP types that are specified in the notes, but are not contained in any ICD-10-CM descriptors or their alternate terms.

More on the condition: According to Cleveland Clinic, athetoid CP is the second most common type of CP. “It affects your movement and coordination. The main symptom is involuntary muscle movements. Damage to the basal ganglia in your brain causes this condition. It’s usually more severe than other types of cerebral palsy,” according to Cleveland Clinic.

One of the features of athetoid CP is dystonia, which is why “dystonic cerebral palsy” is an alternate term for G80.3.

Chris Boucher, MS, CPC, Senior Development Editor, AAPC