Fx repaired W joint Replacement

AmishanxAmishanx
in Home Care Coding General
Does the new guidelines to code fx with 7th Character "D" instead of Z47.1 when repaired with Joint replacement goes effect from October 1st or should we code it that way now? There is nothing in coding clinic regarding this..

Comments

  • ttwombly@decisionhealth.comttwombly@decisionhealth.com
    edited April 2017
    As far as the HCS-D exam is concerned that guidance will be included in the 2017 exam that will be published October 1st. However, currently in daily coding responsibilities you should be coding joint replacements due to fractures with the fracture code itself and the appropriate 7th character. The appropriate character for a fracture should not be an 'A' for initial.



    If a patient has a joint replacement due to something other than a trauma/fracture, for example, DJD, you would code the joint replacement with Z47.1, aftercare of a joint replacement. You can always check this guidance for yourself by looking in the tabular section of your book at the category Z47 and there is an excludes 1 note stating (aftercare for healing fracture - code to fracture with 7th character of D.) The instruction is telling you if you have a joint replacement due to a fracture, code to the fracture and not to a code beginning with a Z47. The coding clinic has said they will publish a clarification for this guideline later in the year. Hope this helps.


    Tricia A. Twombly BSN, RN HCS-D, HCS-O, HCS-H, COS-C, CHCE
    AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM Trainer
    ICE Certified Credentialing Specialist

    Chief Executive Officer
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    9737 Washingtonian Blvd. Ste. 200
    Gaithersburg, MD 20878
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