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Code Assignment: Respiratory condition with COVID-19

Published on 

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

 | RAC Information 
 | FAQ 

Q:

Does a provider have to explicitly link a respiratory condition to COVID-19, if the COVID-19 test is positive?  For example:  Pneumonia with a positive COVID-19 test.


A:

No. A provider does not need to explicitly link the results of the COVID-19 test to the respiratory condition, as long as the positive test result itself, is part of the medical record.  For the example above, code U07.1 (COVID-19) as the principal diagnosis with code J12.89 (Other Viral Pneumonia) as a secondary diagnosis.

 

References:

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding ICD-10-CM Coding for COVID-19

Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS, Second Quarter 2020: Page 3, effective May 29, 2020.

Article Author: Susie James, RHIT, CCS
Susie James, RHIT, CCS, is the Manager of Inpatient Coding Services at MMP, Inc. Susie has worked in the coding field for over 30 years and has worked as a coder, coding supervisor, and corporate coding manager for a large multi-facility system in Birmingham. She also worked for Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF) as a coding reviewer/auditor before joining the team at Medical Management Plus, Inc. Susie has previously served as the President of the Alabama Association of Health Information Management (AAHIM) on the Board of Directors and currently serves as the Education/Coding Roundtable Chair. She is also a member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and has previously served as the Co-chair for AHIMA's Leadership Team. She also served as a facilitator at AHIMA's 85th National Convention in Atlanta Georgia.

This material was compiled to share information.  MMP, Inc. is not offering legal advice. Every reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the information is accurate and useful.