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Primary Care Coding Alert

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Is There an ICD-9 Code for Swine Flu?

Published on Mon Aug 24, 2009

Question: A college student traveling through Texas two days prior returned home with fever of 102.4 F, cough, sore throat, and fatigue. Concerned, the patient sees an FP. A lab test confirms that the patient has swine flu. What diagnosis should I use for this case? New York Subscriber Answer: You should use the ICD-9 code for influenza that will apply to this case. Since the patient has respiratory symptoms, report 487.1 (Influenza with other respiratory manifestations). Presently, ICD -9 does not have a specific code for H1N1 influenza (for example, "swine flu"). ICD-9 guidelines call for you to code the diagnosis known at the end of the encounter. In this instance, only influenza is applicable since swine flu is a form of influenza (H1N1 Influenza A). Influenzal respiratory infection (cough) and influenzal pharyngitis (sore throat) all fall under 487.1. Even for confirmed cases of swine flu, you will still [...]
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