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Pulmonology Coding Alert

Reader Question ~ Assign Priority to These Conditions

Published on Mon Oct 09, 2006

Assign Priority to These Conditions

Question: Our physicians are treating a patient's respiratory insufficiency. They think that the patient's COPD affected this condition. Which diagnosis should we code first?


Illinois Subscriber


Answer: Correct coding requires that you list the primary diagnosis first, according to the American Medical Association's guidelines. For instance, the physician's notes say, "acute respiratory insufficiency 518.82 due to an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) (491.21)." The physician is primarily treating the acute respiratory insufficiency, and you should list it first.
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