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Wiki Anyone know a code for "Strong labor pains"? Please help.
- Thread starter CNMI670
- Start date
Hello Marissa
is there a reason as to why this has to be coded? In my personal opinion, this is more as the part of the labor process, unless it is becoming more extensive and requiring further treatment that has become a reportable diagnosis.
is there a reason as to why this has to be coded? In my personal opinion, this is more as the part of the labor process, unless it is becoming more extensive and requiring further treatment that has become a reportable diagnosis.
Hello Marco,
Well, because this is my first year as a coder and I was told that I need to enter the "admitting" diagnosis before the "primary" diagnosis.
Majority of the Labor and Delivery Department's admitting Dx vary between:
1. Labor pains
2. Strong labor pains
3. Contractions
4. Active labor
But I can't find a code that satisfies the above description. The closest I come across is O62.0/9.
I'm always excited to come across charts that state admitting Dx to be, spontaneous rupture of membranes because there's a code that describes exactly that.
Happily,
Marissa
Well, because this is my first year as a coder and I was told that I need to enter the "admitting" diagnosis before the "primary" diagnosis.
Majority of the Labor and Delivery Department's admitting Dx vary between:
1. Labor pains
2. Strong labor pains
3. Contractions
4. Active labor
But I can't find a code that satisfies the above description. The closest I come across is O62.0/9.
I'm always excited to come across charts that state admitting Dx to be, spontaneous rupture of membranes because there's a code that describes exactly that.
Happily,
Marissa
Mayzoo
Expert
I am only a student right now, but what AACP teaches is if they are in labor, you do not code labor pains as that is routinely associated with the diagnosis.
"Do not report signs and symptoms with a confirmed diagnosis if the signs or symptom are integral to the diagnosis. For example, if the patient is experiencing ear pain and the diagnosis is otitis media, the ear pain would be integral to the otitis media and is not separately reported. A symptom code is used with a confirmed diagnosis only when the symptom is not associated with that confirmed diagnosis."
https://www.aapc.com/blog/29696-icd-10-cm-coding-tips-signs-and-symptoms/
"When you’re assigning diagnoses for a patient encounter, if you have a confirmed diagnosis, that’s what you use. You don’t need to submit the patient’s signs and symptoms too. But there are times when you need both to support your claim to receive the reimbursement you deserve.
When relying on signs and symptoms codes, there are two rules that you should keep in mind that will help justify your reimbursement:
Don’t use a symptom code with a confirmed diagnosis if the symptom is integral to the diagnosis."
https://codingleader.com/blogs/compliancepop/symptoms
"Do not report signs and symptoms with a confirmed diagnosis if the signs or symptom are integral to the diagnosis. For example, if the patient is experiencing ear pain and the diagnosis is otitis media, the ear pain would be integral to the otitis media and is not separately reported. A symptom code is used with a confirmed diagnosis only when the symptom is not associated with that confirmed diagnosis."
https://www.aapc.com/blog/29696-icd-10-cm-coding-tips-signs-and-symptoms/
"When you’re assigning diagnoses for a patient encounter, if you have a confirmed diagnosis, that’s what you use. You don’t need to submit the patient’s signs and symptoms too. But there are times when you need both to support your claim to receive the reimbursement you deserve.
When relying on signs and symptoms codes, there are two rules that you should keep in mind that will help justify your reimbursement:
Don’t use a symptom code with a confirmed diagnosis if the symptom is integral to the diagnosis."
https://codingleader.com/blogs/compliancepop/symptoms
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I see what youre saying now. So in the hospital I worked for, we don't code admitting diagnosis. So as you know, the admitting diagnosis will usually not be the same as the principal. Your admitting diagnosis will be what she came in with, and when you are saying patient is coming in strong labor pains, I wouldnt use an O code for that, as its really not a complication of the pregnancy.
It anything, you have 2 options. You can use the normal pregnancy code O80 since at the time of admission its technically a normal pregnancy until complications start showing up (nuchal cord, decels, anemia, etc) or you could use a Z code for supervision of pregnancy third trimester. At that point it will be more of what your facility wants to do for those scenarios.
Also, you mentioned about SROM, im not sure if you mean PROM or PPROM since there is no code for SROM since its just that the water broke and is also normal process as well, when its PROM or PPROM then thats when you will find a code for it.
hopefully this information clarifies your concern.
It anything, you have 2 options. You can use the normal pregnancy code O80 since at the time of admission its technically a normal pregnancy until complications start showing up (nuchal cord, decels, anemia, etc) or you could use a Z code for supervision of pregnancy third trimester. At that point it will be more of what your facility wants to do for those scenarios.
Also, you mentioned about SROM, im not sure if you mean PROM or PPROM since there is no code for SROM since its just that the water broke and is also normal process as well, when its PROM or PPROM then thats when you will find a code for it.
hopefully this information clarifies your concern.
