high risk pregnancy codes

[teaka]

Do you use high risk pregancy codes (ex:v23.89) as secondary codes for pregnant pt seen at hospital due to complications without delivery? Or are the complication codes (630-677) enough? I have been told that v23 codes should be used at clinic level only by one person and then that they can be used as secondary codes at hospital by another?

Thanks!
Maryl McCarthy, CPC

[lphillips]

per notes in my ICD-9 book re: guidelines/coding tips:

For prenatal outpatient visits for patients with high-risk pregnancies, a code from category V23 should be used as the principal or first-listed diagnosis. Secondary Chapter 11 codes may be used in conjuction with these codes if appropriate -- If the patient has a complication in the current pregnancy, report a code from Chapter 11 instead of a code from the V23 category.

Hope this helps you.

Boy I sure do love this new ICD-9 book - guidelines and coding tips appear right under the diagnosis codes as necessary and the Chapter Guidelines fabulous!!

[FTessaBartels]

lphillips writes: Boy I sure do love this new ICD-9 book - guidelines and coding tips appear right under the diagnosis codes as necessary and the Chapter Guidelines fabulous!!

My 2009 ICD9 book hasn't arrived yet ... but just out of curiosity .. which version of ICD9 are you using?

F Tessa Bartels, CPC, CPC-E/M

[lphillips]

2009 ICD-9-CM Physician Premium from Decision Health (gold/blue cover).

Check it out on their website. We had ordered our regular books and then I received an email about this one - loved the graphics/info so we ordered it too. Of course my other one now sits on a shelf.

[eortega]

"-- If the patient has a complication in the current pregnancy, report a code from Chapter 11 instead of a code from the V23 category."

I'd like to know where did you get that from? The first part of your post is on the official ICD-9 guidelines in chapter 11, but not the one above....