Use of additional code for condition of unspecified type
Has anyone created a facility based policy on assigning additional or querying for "unspecified" codes? An example is, assigning N18.9 CKD, unspecified stage in addition to I12.9 Hypertensive CKD w stages 1-4 CKD, or unspecified CKD, or querying for the stage.
Coding Clinic 2Q 2021, pgs. 10-11 states, "Facilities may develop internal facility-specific coding policies, stipulating whether to report “unspecified” codes as additional codes, when more specific information is not documented and the unspecified code does not add any useful information." I am looking for an example of such a policy.