Influenza combo code

pattyvitasinski@comcast.netpattyvitasinski@comcast.net
in Clinical & Coding

I have a question about the Influenza combo codes (J11.*).  When you have  Influenza with encephalopathy (J11.81) and you have further specificity of the encephalopathy (ie- Toxic, Metabolic, Toxic Metabolic, Hypertensive, Hepatic, etc) can you code the specified encephalopathy as the secondary dx to Influenza with encephalopathy or is this 'double dipping"?  I do not see an excludes note for that. 


Thanks!!

Patty Vitasinski RN CCDS

pvitasi2@hfhs.org


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Comments

  • morris-jeff@CooperHealth.edumorris-jeff@CooperHealth.edu
    I haven’t ever really encountered this issue in my practice but J1181 does not have an instructional note instructing you to code also the type of encephalopathy. That leads me to believe this is an all inclusive code but seems unfair that it’s not a cc/mcc since the patient has encephalopathy. 

    Jeff
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