Carotid Artery Disease
Our computer system directs providers to code I77.9 Disorder of arteries and arterioles, unspecified when they type in Carotid artery disease. However, if they select occlusion or stenosis it directs them to I65.2-. I was under the impression that Carotid Artery disease is occlusion or stenosis of the carotid artery(ies). Looking up Disease, artery does lead to I77.9 but it just seems too vague. Any thoughts? Maybe I just need to query this each time? Thanks
Comments
I think you would need to query, and ideally, educate them to avoid the query. I always like the questions that I have never had reason to look.
I think the I779 code is not specifiying the artery so really isn't communicating useful information to other providers.
Interestingly I779 is an HCC but carotid stenosis, is NOT an HCC.
When you look up all the codes for HCC 108- they are primarily extremity codes/ the only neck vessel code is for an embolism of the IJ,
if your program does, or is looking to touch upon the HCC world, you could look at the HCC list and see what type of codes fall in to HCC 107 and 108- PVD, chronic DVT, aortic atheroclerosis... .
Seems often a patient does not just have one type of vascular abnormality- if they have PVD they often have CAD, etc. etc.
it's a bit of a pain to find the HCC list on CMS site. I have it and sorted it by HCC and collapsed all the subcodes (icd 10). I have the name and still can't find you a link. the file name was- "2019 CMS final ICD 10 mappings to HCC category". The one I find now, on the CMS site, is mid year and I don't see the weight values.