AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2008 Issue 4; VOLUMES 1 AND 2 NEW/REVISED CODES
Fever
Effective October 1, 2008, code 780.6, Fever, has been expanded to distinguish different types of fever. In conjunction with certain chronic conditions, such as leukemia or sickle cell disease, fever may be a significant complication requiring specific evaluation. In other instances, fever is a symptom of an underlying problem like an infection. Please note that fever, chills or hypothermia associated with confirmed infection should be coded to the infection and no code from subcategory 780.6, Fever and other physiologic disturbances of temperature regulation, should be assigned. Revise 780.6 Fever and other physiologic disturbances of temperature regulation...
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Article Overview
This article covers an ICD-9-CM revision for fever and related temperature regulation disturbances effective October 1, 2008. It is relevant to coders, CDI staff, and compliance reviewers who need to understand how the revised fever subcategory is organized, which related temperature conditions are excluded, and how fever is discussed in the context of underlying illness or certain clinical scenarios. The article also includes brief examples involving common diagnoses and how the fever discussion fits into broader coding guidance.
Why This Topic Matters
Fever is a common symptom that can appear in multiple clinical contexts, so changes to the classification affect diagnosis reporting and related documentation review. Understanding the revised structure helps users recognize when fever is addressed as a stand-alone issue versus as part of another condition.
Article Sections
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ICD-9-CM fever code revision effective October 1, 2008
Introduces the updated fever subcategory and the general purpose of the revision. It also notes the broader relationship between fever, underlying conditions, and temperature-related disturbances.
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Revised subcategory structure and exclusions
Summarizes the reorganization of the fever category and the related exclusions that accompany it. The section covers the major types of temperature-regulation conditions addressed by the revision.
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New fever and temperature disturbance codes
Lists the newly added fever-related codes and the associated categories of conditions they encompass. It also identifies the main related exclusions tied to the new structure.
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Clinical example: fever with pneumonia
Presents a short scenario involving fever in the setting of pneumonia and explains the topic addressed by the example. The focus is on how the case illustrates symptom reporting in a common respiratory diagnosis context.
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Clinical example: fever with chronic myelogenous leukemia
Presents a second scenario involving fever with a hematologic malignancy. The section focuses on the relationship between fever and a chronic underlying condition in an inpatient setting.
What You Will Learn
- How the fever-related ICD-9-CM category was revised in 2008
- Which broad fever and temperature-disturbance topics were separated into new codes
- What kinds of related conditions are excluded from the fever subcategory
- How the article frames fever in relation to underlying illness and selected clinical examples
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Clinical documentation integrity staff
- Coding educators
- Compliance reviewers
- Revenue cycle teams
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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