Wiki Coding Hypertensive Heart and Chronic Kidney Disease

[ccolunga003]

Need help I have a team lead who is a coder stating I need to us the 404 ICD-9 CM for CHF. Progress notes do not state Hypertensive CHF, progress notes state hypertension, CKD, and CHF. I do know to assume hypertensive when kidney disease is documented with hypertension. Please help!! According to coding guidelines I am only to assume kidney disease and not CHF as hypertensive unless documented.

 

[consultingbykristin]

You are correct. Site the Coding Guidelines. The Official Guidelines state
assign codes from combination category 404, hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease, when both hypertensive kidney disease and hypertensive heart disease are stated in the diagnosis.

There MUST be a causal relationship stated or established between hypertension and heart disease in order to use the combo codes of 402 or 404.