Wiki Pain management & Quantifying Multiple Chronic Illnesses of the Spine per 2021 E/M Guidelines

[mmmich1]

I could really use some input/direction/help quantifying multiple chronic illnesses of the spine.
Patient with chronic low back pain. Her pain is axial. It is muscular and related to severe scoliosis and degenerative changes. Would you consider this one chronic illness, low back pain or 2 chronic illnesses, scoliosis & degenerative changes? I am able to quantify when there are different levels of the spine involved (cervical vs thoracic vs lumbar) but struggle when it comes to issues in the same area of the spine.
Thoughts?

 

[debbiebeal]

As far as I know scoliosis and ddd are different issues I would code ddd scoliosis and chronic low back pain

 

[mmmich1]

As far as I know scoliosis and ddd are different issues I would code ddd scoliosis and chronic low back pain

Thank you for your response. So for number & complexity of problems addressed would you consider this 3 problems?