Pathology/Lab Coding Alert

Go beyond ‘other’ and ‘unspecified’.

When ICD-9 yields to ICD-10 in Oct. 2014, you’ll need to broaden the diagnosis code choices for your appendix pathology reports.

In fact, you’ll find five, more-specific ICD-10 codes for appendix conditions that ICD-9 lumps under "other and unspecified" (543.9, Other and unspecified diseases of appendix), including concretions, diverticulum, and fistula.

Get Familiar with K38

Instead of 543.9, you’ll choose one of the following ICD-10 codes starting Oct. 1, 2014:

K38.1 -- Appendicular concretions

K38.2 -- Diverticulum of appendix

K38.3 -- Fistula of appendix

K38.8 -- Other specified diseases of appendix

K38.9 -- Disease of appendix, unspecified.

Notice: You’ll still have codes in ICD-10 for other specific appendix conditions, and unspecified appendix conditions. Unlike ICD-9, however, ICD-10 distinguishes whether the pathology report doesn’t specify the appendix condition (K38.9) or the pathology report specifies a condition that ICD-10 doesn’t specifically list (K38.8).