tci ED Coding & Reimbursement Alert - 2019 Issue 3

Reader Question: When Are Signs/Symptoms Reported?

Question: We have one physician who reports every sign and symptom that the patient presents with, in addition to the definitive diagnosis. We’ve been telling him to only report the final diagnosis but he refuses. Who is right? SuperCoder subscriber Answer: Assuming that the definitive diagnosis encompasses all of the signs and symptoms, you are right. The 2019 ICD-10 guidelines stipulate that you should apply signs-and-symptoms diagnoses if: The physician cannot make a more specific diagnosis, even after he has investigated all the facts bearing on the case. The physician makes a definitive diagnosis, but the sign or...

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