ICD-10 coding Q&As

Ask the Coding Experts, by Doug Morrow, O.D., Harvey Richman, O.D., and Rebecca Wartman, O.D.

From the July/August 2015 edition of AOA Focus, page 49.

AOA's Coding Experts share more solutions to your coding conundrums.

When reporting ICD-10 codes, when is it appropriate to use the family history diagnosis codes?

With regard to use of the family history diagnosis codes, the ICD-10 Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting indicate:

As is noted in the guidelines, the family history diagnosis codes should be used if a patient is at higher risk for a disease due to family history or if the doctor is conducting a screening based in part on family history. For example, if an doctor of optometry was treating a 60-year-old patient, the patient had not had an eye exam in several years and the patient had a family history of glaucoma, the doctor should report the patient's family history of glaucoma using the ICD-10 code Z83.511 (family history of glaucoma). The complete guidelines can be accessed on the CMS website.

I am retiring from practice in 2016. Does AOA have resources that can help me learn about ICD-10 to get through my remaining months in practice

We highly recommend ordering the AOA's Codes for Optometry manual, available to members by calling the AOA Marketplace at 800.262.2210 or by visiting the AOA Marketplace.