Wiki Rejection for polyneuropathy diagnosis for EMGs

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tlm5506

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Hello.
For quite some time now have been receiving rejections for polyneuropathy (357.9) when used as primary diagnosis for EMGs. Also, office visit claims are being rejected for the same diagnosis. I'm thinking it's because it's an unspecified code. My doctor doesn't want to change the diagnosis.
Has anyone else been experiencing this problem?

Thanks.
 
When using that diagnosis, you must first look at the documentation on the patient; is the polyneuropathy due to another condition, because this is an manifestation code so I normally see this with an diabetic patient I would suggest to the physician to append a primary code like 250.60 -61. if you look that code in you icd-9 it will show the primary codes that must be billed first. Make a copy for your physician; it will stop being denied.
 
357.9 does not require another code to be first listed please read the code book carefully. Some of the 357 codes do require another code first listed but not 357.9. My assumption is that it is rejecting because you have used an unspecified code. If you are billing from the results then the provider needs to document the condition specifically, if it is unspecified because the study is not yet completed then it is because the type is not yet known and this should not be used, code the symptoms instead. Unspecified dx codes are often over used and the payers are starting to issue denials only because the dx is unspecified. Unspecified translates to not documented. If you are f=going to use an unspecified code you need really good reasons as to why the information could not be known at the time of the encounter or study.
 
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