Wiki ICD-9 Coding for Allergy

[jhetrick]

When a 900 series code is used (i.e., 995.7) my billing system requires I enter an incident date and other related information. I thought these codes were for acute "incidents" not ongoing allergies. For example, if a person eats shellfish and gets hive and seeks treatment then I would use 995.7 and 708.0. But in 6 months when they come back in for a follow-up visit I would 693.1.
I wanted to get some opinion before I suggest this method of coding to my physician who is using a lot of 900 codes for ongoing treatment unrelated to an actual allergic event.

 

[mitchellde]

When a 900 series code is used (i.e., 995.7) my billing system requires I enter an incident date and other related information. I thought these codes were for acute "incidents" not ongoing allergies. For example, if a person eats shellfish and gets hive and seeks treatment then I would use 995.7 and 708.0. But in 6 months when they come back in for a follow-up visit I would 693.1.
I wanted to get some opinion before I suggest this method of coding to my physician who is using a lot of 900 codes for ongoing treatment unrelated to an actual allergic event.

You would not use 693.1 for a follow up visit if there is no current dermatitis condition. A follow up visit is code with a V67 code or Z09 for ICD-10 CM. You can add a V14 or V15 code for the history of the allergy but you do not get to use a code for an acute condition that does not exist. The same goes for the 900 level codes. Read the coding guidelines, it will tell you that you do not code an acute condition if it no longer exists, this is what follow up codes are for.