Specialties that will Face ICD-10 Code Changes

The shift from the old ICD-9 to the new ICD-10 is imminent, and all concerned parties will have to comply with the changes this brings. However, three specialties will be the focus of major modifications brought about by the shift to ICD 10.

Cardiologists – Cardiologists will face not only code, but also definition changes. ICD-10 now changes the acute phase of myocardial infarction from 8 weeks to 4 weeks, and sticking to the older ICD-9 definition can result in a miscode.

Moving on to the codes, the new system will also introduce new combination codes. For instance, subcategory I25.11 will be used for atherosclerotic heart disease of the native coronary artery with angina pectoris. Unlike in ICD-9, adding a second code for the angina pectoris is no longer needed. Instead, a causal relationship will be assumed unless the documentation indicates that the angina is caused by something other than atherosclerosis itself.

Neurologists – Alzheimer’s disease fell only under one code in ICD-9, but ICD-10 makes use of 3 coding options. The disease at its early onset is assigned code G30.0; late onset Alzheimer’s has the code G30.1, while other Alzheimer’s disease is G30.8, and unspecified Alzheimer’s disease is G30.9. These code options replace the single 331.0 code for Alzheimer’s disease under ICD-9.

Nephrologists – Like neurologists, nephrologists will also have to use multiple codes for diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD), with one code indicating the type of diabetes with CKD and the other pertaining to the stage of CKD1.