Wiki Influenza Like Illness - help

SHobbs

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Our providers want to give the dx 487.1 to patients that have flu like symptoms but have negative tests. The description of 487.1 is influenza with other respiratory manifestations so we would be reporting cases of the flu that are not actually positive cases. Am I thinking correct here?
So, they want a dx for flu like illness is this the ARI 465.9 or do we report other viral infection 079.99 or the signs and symptoms? I am so confused.
 
Per the ICD-9-CM coding guideline you cannot code for probable, suspected, questionalbe, rule out, or working diagnosis or other similar terms indicating uncertainty. In these cases you must code the signs and symptoms.

If the flu test was negative then this indicates an uncertain flu diagnosis. Coding the signs and symptoms would be appropriate in this case.
 
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I do agree with brit about not coding probable, suspected, etc. However, if you look in the Index, there is a listing for Influenza-Like Disease, which does code to 487.1 and that is how we code it.
 
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