Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
New V Codes for 2006
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The ICD-9 update also includes new V codes spelling out the reason a vaccination wasn't carried out, such as compromised immune system or religious objections (V64.00-V64.09).
And the 2006 update includes a set of V codes for a personal or family history of diseases such as pneumonia or osteoporosis. (V12.64-V13.03 and V17.81-V18.9). These codes will be especially useful because often a patient has a test or study only because of a personal history of disease. "We haven't had a lot of great ways to describe this in the past and these new V codes are going to be a great help," says Marcella Bucknam.
Also, for oncologists, new codes for "genetic testing" under V26.x will be useful, says Cindy Parman.
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