Sign Up For A Surgery Conference And Master Icd-9 2010 Code Changes

By Author: Julia Rose
Total Articles: 89
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Now that October 1, 2009, is over, you must have witnessed the 311 new, 22 invalid, and 45 revised ICD-9 codes that have gone into effect for the year 2010. When it comes to general surgery, here's what you need to know to ensure you code properly.


Vascular surgery procedures: You'll have several new and revised embolism and thrombosis codes that will allow you to offer more specific information to payers.


ICD-9 2010 offers you 12 new chronic venous embolism and thrombosis codes (453.50-453.79, Chronic venous embolism and thrombosis ...). The individual codes break the category down by specifying upper or lower extremity as well as the type of vein.


There are also eight new acute venous embolism and thrombosis codes for upper extremity procedures (453.81-453.89, Venous embolism and thrombosis ), which are broken down by vein in the same way as the chronic codes. ICD-9 2010 revises 453.40-453.42 to provide greater specificity for lower extremity procedures.


What's been deleted: Now you'll no longer find 453.8.


ICD-2010 has ...
... come with multiple carcinoma and neoplasm changes. Now you need to add seven new Merkel cell carcinoma diagnosis codes to your arsenal. You'll also have various new codes for secondary neuroendocrine tumors: 209.70-209.74 (Secondary neuroendocrine tumor ) and 209.79 (Secondary neuroendocrine tumor of other sites).


This year's changes also include the deletion of 239.8 to make room for 239.81.


Although these changes are not really going to send anyone through the roof, you need to keep pace with them if you are to succeed in your surgery coding career. Attending surgery conferences will certainly help you keep pace with the latest ICD-9 2010 coding changes in addition to other surgery coding know how.


In fact, Orlando is playing host to a surgery conference early next month, where you can head to and walk home enriched.