tci Part B Insider - 2010 Issue 35

Reader Questions: Look for Causes Before Coding Sleep Apnea

Question: What ICD-9 code should I report when the physician performs a level-two E/M on a new patient? The medical record indicates that the patient had obstructive sleep apnea caused by COPD with exacerbation.Answer: Using 780.51 (Insomnia with sleep apnea, unspecified) is not appropriate for the scenario you've given. Use 780.51 when the physician cannot (or has not yet been able to) determine the cause of the condition. This is not true in your case because the doctor noted a cause for the condition. You should instead choose 327.23 (Obstructive sleep apnea [adult] [pediatric]).Note:...

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