Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Physician Notes:

ICD-9-CM Committee Considers New Diagnoses for Partial Rotator Cuff Tear, Malnutrition, and More

Plus: Physician Gets Jail Time for Home Care Fraud

October 1 might sound far away, but the new diagnoses you'll be welcoming at that point are already being developed. The ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee met on March 10 to discuss potential new diagnosis codes that are being considered for inclusion in this year's ICD-9 manual, and although none have been finalized, we've got a peek at what's being considered.

  • Seclusion status: Attendees at the meeting supported the inclusion of this code, which could track patients that need to be protected from themselves or others.
  • Partial rotator cuff tear: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons "reviewed and supported the proposal" for this new code, the ICD-9-CM meeting minutes indicate.
  • Malnutrition: Several associations supported the inclusion of malnutrition as part of the ICD-9 codeset.
  • Severely calcified coronary lesions: Members of the ICD-9 committee debated over whether the term "severe" was essential to this new potential code.
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Attendees indicated "general support" for the proposal of a code for this condition.
  • Pneumothorax and air leak: Committee members suggested that "it may be reasonable" to introduce a new code for chronic pneumothorax.

To read the entire list of proposed diagnoses and the committees' comments, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/icd9/2011March_Summary_%20HA.pdf.

Other Articles in this issue of

Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

View All