Swine flu reaches pandemic stage; expect patient questions to follow

Article Overview

This article is a short public-health and coding update for providers responding to H1N1 influenza patient questions during the 2009 pandemic. It explains the general clinical and billing context, references CMS guidance on diagnostic flu testing, and identifies broad ICD-9-CM diagnosis code categories and V-code groupings that may be considered for related services. The piece is most useful for coders, billers, and clinical staff who need to understand the surrounding documentation and reimbursement context without relying on the full premium article.