Follow these rules for coding hurricane-related injuries

by: Laura Evans, CPC Sep 6, 2017

In light of Harvey, Irma and other major storms this season, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has updated its 2005 coding advice for healthcare encounters in the aftermath of a hurricane to reflect ICD-10-CM coding guidelines.

For example, CDC warns never to list an external cause code (V00-Y99) as the first or principal diagnosis for an injury in the non-inpatient setting. Instead, report the appropriate injury code (S00-T88) first, before any external cause codes.

Also, only list an external cause code for an adverse event such as a hurricane (X37.0-) when the patient’s condition is directly triggered by that event. "They should not be assigned for encounters to treat hurricane victims’ medical conditions when no injury, adverse effect or poisoning is involved,” CDC reminds.

For example, if a patient is treated for strep throat in the aftermath of a hurricane, you would not need to include code X37.0- in addition to code J02.0.

Look for these and other storm-related coding rules on the CDC website.

Blog Tags: ICD-10

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