Yvette DeVay, MHA, CPC, CPMA, CIC, writes that because novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new disease, there is still much to learn about how the disease is spread and what severity of illness it causes. For these reasons and more, many inpatient coders are finding this virus hard to report. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP, details Chapter 5 of the ICD-10-CM manual which contains codes for mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders, and says attention must be paid to coding guidelines and instructional notes when reviewing these codes for inpatient assignment.
Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, says exciting changes to ICD-10-CM are published in an often-overlooked document called the Addenda. It lists additions, revisions, and deletions to the Alphabetical Index and Tabular List. This might seem mundane until you realize the changes’ potential effect on coding and CDI.
Q: We are seeing an influx of possible COVID-19 patients at our facility. How can we prepare to query for COVID-19-related documentation and coding issues that are bound to come our way due to the newness of the diagnosis?
