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Wiki PLEASE HELP! 715.00 or 715.09

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lfisher78

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A physician has a diagnosis of generalized osteoarthritis with the support being abnormal joints and joint pain. I coded this 715.09 but my supervisor says that it should be 715.00. Please Help!!!
 
So even though ICD 9 CM clearly directs you to 715.09 you would code 715.00? How would you get to that code in the alpha index of icd 9?
 
You do not need to get a specific code in the alpha, it is only a guide to get to look in the appropriate location in the tabular, often you should select a different code given the more specific descriptions from the tabular. You should never let the alpha index be the only source for your code.
 
I certainly get that, but when the coders desk reference gives you a definition of generalized OA as multiple joints, and all other definitions that I have seen gives the same definition as such, I assumed that the 5th digit would be 9, as it is not a site (1) but sites (more than 1) according to the definition, mutilple joints =multiple sites, but ok, thanks.
 
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