Bertha Guilty: External Cause Code for Bitten By Cow
Have you been gnawed on lately by Bertha or her sister? These girls can be brutal! And if you had to see a doctor about it, a medical coder may have assigned an external cause code for bitten by cow. This code would help tell the story of the primary diagnosis....
14 ICD-10-CM Codes for the Holiday Season
The holidays can be such a wonderful time of the year for so many people. It's all about family gatherings, traditions, and religion. But it can also be the most difficult time of the year for many people. Between end-of-the-year deadlines, loss of a loved one, family...
Identify Hypothermia and Correctly Report Diagnoses in ICD-10-CM
Learn how to identify hypothermia and assign the appropriate ICD-10-CM codes here. My Uncle Jim lives in Maine where the winters get exceptionally cold. Last year he needed to save some money, so he turned his heat down to 62 degrees. That decision almost cost him his...
Quiz: CPT Coding Modifiers
Coding For Multiple E/M Services and an Injection
How strong are you at coding for multiple E/M services? Test your knowledge and see if you can determine the right way to code this scenario. Hint: There are CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-10-CM codes needed. Question: A 51-year old female patient is seen for a follow-up...
Making Assumptions About Hypertension and Heart Disease in ICD-10-CM
If you understand the FY 2021 ICD-10-CM coding guidelines involving causal relationships and the word "with" in the Alphabetic Index of the ICD-10-CM coding manual, coding for hypertension and heart disease in ICD-10-CM should not be difficult. Question: Patient has...
Glasgow Coma Scale Coding in ICD-10-CM: Change For FY 2021
A change took effect related to Glasgow coma scale coding in ICD-10-CM for FY 2021. This post has been updated to reflect the change. What is the Glasgow Coma Scale? The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a scoring system used by medical practitioners to...