Pulmonology Coding Alert

Patient has pneumonia, too? Use a diagnosis code that extends to the fifth digit. If you're submitting a claim for cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment without understanding fully how you should report it, you risk a denial. When your pulmonologist treats patients diagnosed with CF, he will possibly prescribe exercise, antibiotics, bronchodilator therapy, mucolytic therapy, airway-clearing methods/devices, and chest physical therapy (CPT). Avoid unnecessary setbacks and let these three hints help you map out your strategies in reporting the diagnosis and treatment of CF patients. Background: Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes the mucus lining the mucosal surfaces of internal organs to become thick, dry, and sticky. This denser mucus (secretions) in the lungs gives bacteria a uniquely favorable place to grow, making CF patients more susceptible to more strains of bacteria than other people. CPT, as a treatment, helps to remove the secretions from the lung to the [...]