Proper Documentation Essential for Dementia Coding in ICD-10by | Sep 2, 2019 | Blog, ICD 10 Coding | Show A progressive neurological disorder, dementia is a common and severe cause of disability among older people. Dementia is characterized by a group of symptoms associated with deterioration in memory or other thinking skills. As there are different types of dementia, diagnosing the condition can be challenging. Due to its debilitating effects, caring for a patient with dementia is also not easy. As they provide patients with individualized care, outsourcing medical billing and coding is a practical option for physicians to prepare and submit claims for accurate reimbursement. Symptoms Dementia is an umbrella term that covers several underlying major neurocognitive disorders. Behavioral disturbances, including psychotic symptoms, mood disturbance, agitation, apathy, aggression, combativeness, and “wandering off” may be present. Dementia not a part of natural aging. According to www.alz.org, at least two of the following core mental abilities must be significantly affected to be considered dementia:
To diagnose the cause of the dementia, the physician must identify the pattern of the loss of skills and function and determine what functions the person can still perform. As a January 2019 AAPC article states, to assign the ICD-10 code, the documentation should correctly specify the root cause of the dementia. Types of Dementia and Their Causes Dementia occurs when the brain cells are damaged and cannot communicate with each other. Thinking, behavior and feelings can be affected when brain cells are unable to communicate normally. Progressive dementia types are not reversible and include:
Coding of dementia can be complex and confusing. An experienced medical coding company can help physicians report diagnosis using the correct ICD-10 codes. However, this depends on clear and precise medical record documentation by the physician. The documentation should identify the underlying cause of dementia whenever possible. In addition to the objective examination, the physician should document behavioral disturbances such as sleep disturbance, aggression, agitation, hallucination, delusion, and wandering. Good medical record documentation is essential to describe the severity of illness, to improve and measure quality of care, to provide better data for research, and for optimal reimbursement. What is the ICDICD-Code F03. 90 is a billable ICD-10 code used for healthcare diagnosis reimbursement of Unspecified Dementia without Behavioral Disturbance.
What is the ICDICD-10 code G30. 9 for Alzheimer's disease, unspecified is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Diseases of the nervous system .
What is late onset Alzheimer's disease with behavioral disturbance?Although typically thought of as indicative of late-stage disease, behavioral symptoms can appear early in the course of the disease, well before clinical diagnosis. These symptoms can include social withdrawal, depression, paranoia, and mood changes.
What is the ICDICD-10 code R46. 2 for Strange and inexplicable behavior is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified .
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