Wiki Coding BMI

[stacytaylor1993@gmail.com]

Hello,

I have a question on when a patient's BMI should be coded for an E/M visit....We have been told by another coder that it should be coded each time it is dictated in the progress note/encounter.
Is this true?

 

[REDFIELD]

I make a habit of coding the BMI (as long as it's documented) when obesity is one of the charge diagnoses, that often answers to severity especially in cases of morbid obesity. With our EMR this is auto-calculated when the vitals are listed at each encounter but if the provider doesn't specifically note it in the assessment it doesn't seem like it would be appropriate to list each and every time (medical necessity).

 

[terribrown]

BMI is considered a diagnosis...so it should be coded every time it is documented just like any other condition in the assessment.

 

[stacytaylor1993@gmail.com]

Bmi

So even if the patient is not seen for anything related to obesity or severe weight gain, you still code it. Because I read an article that in so many words stated if the visit was not pertaining to obesity, even though the physician noted it in the dictation, it shouldn't be coded.

 

[stacytaylor1993@gmail.com]

Thank you Redfield, that's actually what I was thinking as well....