Urology Coding Alert

Plus, you’ll have additional personal history V codes for next year. In just a few months, you’ll be faced with more than 350 ICD-9 changes. If you don’t incorporate the changes into your coding that day, your practice could face denials and lost revenue. There are 311 new, 22 invalid, and 45 revised ICD-9 codesthat take effect on Oct. 1, 2009. Every dollar -- and every productivity hour -- counts these days, so we’ve scoured the diagnosis code changes for you. Here’s what you need to know to ensure you code urology diagnoses properly after Oct. 1. Incorporate New Pouch Codes If your urologist uses the intestines for urinary diversion, there are two new ICD-9 diagnostic codes that you should pay attention to. “These two codes may relate to problems with urinary diversions such as an ileal conduit or abdominal pouches, the Kock, Indiana, or Miami pouches,” says Michael A. Ferragamo MD, [...]