AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2011 Issue 4; VOLUMES 1 & 2 NEW/REVISED CODES
Skin Neoplasms
Effective October 1, 2011, codes under category 173, Other malignant neoplasm of skin, have been expanded to the 5th digit level to allow for the differentiation of skin cancers. The change will allow more accurate data collection for central cancer registries which may have different reporting requirements based on the type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma (173.0-173.9 with a fifth digit of “1â€) is the most common form of skin cancer. These cancers arise in the basal cells which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (top skin layer). This...
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Article Overview
This article covers an ICD-9-CM revision for malignant neoplasms of the skin, including the move to more specific reporting for different skin cancer types and body sites. It is relevant to coders, cancer registries, and clinical documentation teams that need to understand the scope of the revised category, the affected site groupings, and the related exclusion note.
Why This Topic Matters
The update supports more detailed data collection and tracking of skin cancer types for reporting and registry purposes. It helps readers understand the overall structure of the revised category and the broader clinical context behind the coding change.
Article Sections
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Clinical background on skin cancer types
Overview of the major skin cancer categories discussed in the article and the general clinical context for distinguishing them. Includes broad discussion of risk factors and why more specific classification matters for reporting.
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ICD-9-CM category 173 revision
Summary of the coding update affecting malignant neoplasm of skin and the related exclusion note referenced in the article. Introduces the structure of the revised category before the site-specific code listings.
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Site-specific code revisions
Detailed listing of the revised site-based groupings within the skin neoplasm category. The section presents the expanded code structure across multiple anatomic locations.
What You Will Learn
- How the skin neoplasm category was revised for greater specificity
- Which general skin cancer types are discussed in the article
- How the revised coding structure is organized by anatomic site
- What broad reporting and registry considerations motivated the update
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Cancer registry staff
- Clinical documentation improvement specialists
- Health information management professionals
- Coding educators
Codes Discussed
Code Ranges Discussed
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