Wiki Chemo & Home Health Care

[Catbuker]

I code for a home health care agency & the case managers & I are stumped on how to code for our care for chemotherapy patients. We understand that Z51.11 is not for home health care, but is to be used by those actually administering chemotherapy. But, we do a lot of follow-up care - taking vitals, therapy & monitoring late effects. What code can we use?

Thank you,
Cathy Buker

 

[danskangel313]

I don't know if this will help you, but I found an ICD-9 code, V66.2 convalescence following chemotherapy, which converts to Z51.89 Encounter for other specified aftercare. There's some additional notes under that code regarding what else to code, but maybe this will give you a starting point?

 

[JMarieBrandt]

There is no long term use of chemo or a status code for a patient undergoing chemo. I code for home health also, and I really think there ought to be one. You would just code the cancer... usually primary. There isn't a way to capture the chemo part of it. The cancer code will pick up case mix points, and will capture what the clinicians are doing for the patient.