Revenue Cycle Insider

Question: How do I code allergic vasomotor rhinitis? It seems like there’s a code for allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis, but no combination code.

Texas Subscriber

Answer: By definition, vasomotor rhinitis is nonallergic. The condition involves all of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis (sneezing, congestion, runny nose), but vasomotor rhinitis is idiopathic, meaning its cause is unknown. This means you will have to seek clarification from your provider to determine, first of all, if the condition is idiopathic, and if it is not, what allergen is causing it.

If your provider comes back to you and tells you the rhinitis is idiopathic, you’ll code the condition to J30.0 (Vasomotor rhinitis). If the cause of rhinitis is allergic in nature, your provider will then have to document the exact allergen causing the condition. This means you will have to choose from the following:

• J30.1 (Allergic rhinitis due to pollen) (Includes allergies due to pollen, also known as hay fever, or pollinosis)
• J30.2 (Other seasonal allergic rhinitis)
• J30.5 (Allergic rhinitis due to food)
• J30.81 (Allergic rhinitis due to animal (cat) (dog) hair and dander)
• J30.89 (Other allergic rhinitis) (Includes perennial allergic rhinitis)
• J30.9 (Allergic rhinitis, unspecified).

Bruce Pegg, BA, MA, CPC, CFPC, Managing Editor, AAPC