Wiki Z79.899 Other long term (current) drug therapy

[reddaway@sbcglobal.net]

I have a timing question re: code Z79.899 Other long term (current) drug therapy and how the word “current” and “long term” would be interpreted. Would it be correct coding to use this code at a psychiatric evaluation encounter if prescriptions were written but put on hold pending review of labs ordered at the same encounter? Technically the patient is not “currently” on “long term” medication at that time but they will begin long term drug therapy after labs are reviewed (most likely before their next appointment). Currently at my facility the procedure is to give Z79.899 as the diagnosis code on the lab order but it is not listed in the diagnosis/problem list in the psychiatric evaluation. We know it should be listed in both places but are unsure if it is appropriate to assign Z79.899 at the time of psychiatric evaluation encounter because of our lab process/timing of actually starting meds.

Should the providers be assigning Z79.899 at the psych evaluation if the scripts are on hold at the time they are assigning codes (? Current)? Does “long term” mean going forward as well as currently on meds for a long time?