Laboratory Question for the Week of September 10, 2018

Question:

Is a screening code assigned when the reason for performing a test is because the inpatient has had contact with, or exposure to, a communicable disease?

Answer:

The appropriate code from a category for contact with or exposure to communicable diseases should be assigned, not a screening code, but the test may still be considered screening and not covered by Medicare. For screening tests, the appropriate ICD-10-CM screening code (or comparable narrative) should be used (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2018, page 109).


This question was answered in the 2018 edition of our Coding Essentials for Laboratories. For more hot topics relating to laboratory services, please view our store, or call us at 1.800.252.1578 ext. 2.

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