tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2010 Issue 5

Reader Question: Know When 'Current' Becomes 'History'

Question: Could you please provide some direction about when I should use "history of" codes instead of the actual cancer diagnosis code?Virginia SubscriberAnswer: You should use a "history of" diagnosis when the patient's treatment is complete and the surgeon states that there is no sign of reoccurrence. For instance, use V10.3 (Personal history of malignant neoplasm; Breast) for a patient with prior history of breast cancer.Follow guidelines: The ICD-9-CM coding guidelines specify that the "personal history of" codes "explain a patient's past medical condition that no longer exists and is not receiving any treatment, but that...

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