Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Looking for new sepsis or poisoning codes? The new crop of diagnoses could be just what you need.

If youve felt like your infection coding could use a tune-up, the new batch of ICD-9 codes delivers, with 12 new codes that target your specialty.

Thats just the tip of the iceberg, with 141 new codes that youll be able to use as of Oct. 1. Read on for a few highlights.

Infection: Youll find several new infection codes, with examples as follows:

" 670.10-670.14 -- Puerperal endometritis

" 670.20-670.24 -- Puerperal sepsis

" 670.30-670.34 -- Puerperal septic thrombophlebitis

" 670.80-670.84 -- Other major puerperal infection

Gastro: The new edition of ICD-9 codes will expand several coding options, including the following:

" 756.73 -- Gastroschisis

" 569.71 -- Pouchitis

" 569.79  -- Other complications of intestinal pouch

" 569.87 -- Vomiting of fecal matter

" 789.7 -- Colic

Oncology: One of the biggest ICD-9 expansions in the new set of codes deals with cancer diagnoses, with the following codes indicative of what youll see effective Oct. 1:

" 209.31-209.36 -- Merkel cell carcinoma

" 209.70-209.74 -- Secondary neuroendocrine tumor

" 285.3 -- Antineoplastic chemotherapy induced anemia

Venous codes: Vein coders will notice scores of new codes for their specialty, such as the following:

" 453.50-453.79 -- Chronic venous embolism and thrombosis

" 453.81-453.89 -- Acute venous embolism and thrombosis

Poisoning: Youll find a dozen new poisoning codes among the slew of ICD-9 codes, such as the following:

" 969.00 -- Poisoning by antidepressant, unspecified

" 969.01  -- Poisoning by monoamine oxidase inhibitors

" 969.71 -- Poisoning by caffeine

" 969.72 -- Poisoning by amphetamines

To read the complete list of new, revised, and deleted ICD-9 codes that will take effect on Oct. 1, visit www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2009-10458_PI.pdf and scroll to page 956.