Neonatal Jaundice vs Hydration

[vivekjuyal]

Hello,

My Question is Can Hydration support medical necessity if patient is suffering from neonatal jaundice.

 

[SharonCollachi]

Do you mean, "does neonatal jaundice support medical necessity for hydration?"

If that is your question, I am not a doctor, but none of the standards of care for newborn jaundice that I have seen include hydration.

 

[fwnewbie]

Dehydration can worsen neonatal jaundice and is common in newborns who are still sleepy from the birth process along with the fatigue of jaundice.
Hydrating an infant along with phototherapy are treatments for jaundice.

 

[SharonCollachi]

Giving an infant formula or mother's milk is a treatment for jaundice, then light therapy then blood exchange and ivig. Around here, hydration is not, although IV hydration may be necessary for other reasons. YMMV.

Still not clear on the original question. If it was as I asked, then check with your payer to see when they cover hydration.

 

[thomas7331]

Hello,

My Question is Can Hydration support medical necessity if patient is suffering from neonatal jaundice.

The medical necessity of any treatment is always going to be a matter of clinical judgment, which is something providers and payers don't always agree on, so there's not always a right or wrong answer for this kind of a question.

From a coding standpoint, if you're concerned that the diagnosis might not support medical necessity, then I would look to the patient's payer to find out if they have a medical policy or coverage determination that stipulates specific diagnoses for which they will pay for the service.