Podiatry Coding & Billing Alert

2 Select acute or chronic and indicate tophi presence with new 5th digits. You'll be able to report gouty arthropathy more accurately starting Oct. 1, thanks to a group of new diagnosis codes. In previous versions of ICD-9-CM, you used 274.0 (Gouty arthropathy) to describe all types of gout. The additional codes will allow you to distinguish between the different conditions (acute or chronic) or presence/ absence of tophi. ICD-9 2010 requires a fifth digit on 274.0 as follows: "The new codes make properly coding the correct stage of this condition easier," says Arnold Beresh, DPM, CPC of Peninsula Foot and Ankle Specialists PLC in Hampton, Va. "ICD-9 2010 includes codes for the particular stage of the disease." 4 Pointers Aid Your Gout Code Choice Gout progresses from acute to chronic. These scenarios will help guide your gouty code selection: 1. For newly diagnosed patients with acute symptoms of gout, [...]