Wiki pregnancy in medical setting?

[NJcoder]

Hello-
if patient is admitted to medical floor and not OB floor and is admitted with cellulitis with14wks pregnancy would i use the pregnancy code 1st even though the patient wasn't addmitted on to OB floor?

64893 then 682.xx?
thanks

 

[dclark7]

If the cellulitis is not a result of the pregnancy, and is not causing complications to the pregnancy; I would use the cellulitis code and then V22.2 (pregnancy state incidental).

Doreen, CPC

 

[Anna Weaver]

pegnancy in med situation

You might want to check the coding guidelines for pregnancy situations. They are very complicated and not at all cut and dried. The V22.2 code is only used when the Dr. specifically states the pregnancy is incidental. (My understanding). Check out Chapter 11 in the coding guidelines in the front of the ICD-9 2009 physician page 11 and continued to page 12.
In the first paragragh page 11 it states "Should the provider document that the pregnancy is incidental to the encounter, then code V22.2 should be used in place of any chapter 11 codes. It is the provider's responsibility to state that the condition being treated is not affecting the pregnancy."

I'm not certain of this by any means, but this is just my understanding and I am always cautious when coding pregnancy.