Coding Pain?

[reganec]

If a patient encounter is because of abdominal pain and has previously been diagnosed with Crohns, would it be appropriate to code both the pain and Crohns?

 

[mitchellde]

If a patient encounter is because of abdominal pain and has previously been diagnosed with Crohns, would it be appropriate to code both the pain and Crohns?

If the visit is for pain control then yes code the pain with a 338 code plus the crohns. If the provider identifies the pain as due to the Crohns and it is not a pain management encounter then code only the Crohns. If the provider suspects the abd pain indicates something different the abd pain, then code the abd pain and the Crohns.

 

[balamuruganm]

HI,

code Crohn's disease followed by abdomen pain, I don't agree with 338.x because document must document acute or chronic pain.

Regards,
Balamurugan M

 

[mitchellde]

HI,

code Crohn's disease followed by abdomen pain, I don't agree with 338.x because document must document acute or chronic pain.

Regards,
Balamurugan M

Yes the pain must be documented as acute or chronic, for 338. However if it is not a pain control encounter, and the abd pain is due to the Crohns then you code only the Crohns.

 

[reganec]

I appreciate the feedback. I actually have been using the 789.0x, which is abdominal pain and is not specified as acute or chronic. In my example the patient was coming in for a follow up to address the abdomen pain 789.06 (epigastric) and the physician was going to do additional labs and an upper GI endoscopy. In this type of scenario I have been listing the pain first and then the crohns, or GERD whatever the dx might have been but is now presenting for abdominal pain.