Diagnostic Code for MC

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:11 pm

Zizzle wrote in another thread:

558.9 Other and unspecified noninfectious gastroenteritis and colitis
Colitis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Diarrhea, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Enteritis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Gastroenteritis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Ileitis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Jejunitis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious
Sigmoiditis, NOS, allergic, dietetic, or noninfectious

When I saw my GI this morning, I asked him what code he used for me. He said he didn't know, that he just plugged in collagenous colitis. He did that and sure enough-- 558.9 Microscopic Colitis popped up on the computer screen.

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:48 pm

So what does this mean?

Are they "clumping" gastroenteritis, enteritis, ileitis, jejunitis, and sigmoiditis and a diagnosis of collagenous colitis as a collective group?

I didn't see Zizzles earlier post. This is interesting.

Glad your visit went well Marliss.

Love,

Joanna

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:51 am

harvest_table wrote: Are they "clumping" gastroenteritis, enteritis, ileitis, jejunitis, and sigmoiditis and a diagnosis of collagenous colitis as a collective group?

Yup, there is no specific code for MC, much less CC or LC, so we get a catch-all code. What's worse, many doctors and billing people don't know this code, so they send our bills to the insurance with codes for diarrhea and/or IBS.

No wonder no one wants to research MC, no one knows it exists!!! Without diagnostic and billing codes indicating the incidence of the disease, how can researchers figure out the prevalence of the condition in the population??

Could people's additional tests also be denied coverage because they are not indicated in IBS/diarrhea, etc? This concerns me.

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:19 pm

Wow.

Until you brought this up I had never even thought about hospital billing codes in regards to population MC DX and research. No doubt it affects insurance coverage.

Just curious if anyone can provide a link to a site that might provide ALL hospital "generic" billing codes?

Love,

Joanna

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:17 am

Zizzle,

How interesting............. It sure looks like a "wastebasket" code to me. Do Crohn's and ulcerative colitis fit in here, or do the major IBDs have a different code? The code makes no distinction of the fact that MC is a CHRONIC disease and that there are actual findings on biopsy. I'll bet IBS goes into this wastebasket (non-specific) too, which would further complicate things. What a shame.

Joanna, if you google "ICD9 codes", you should be able to find a listing online somewhere.

Love,

Polly

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 8:41 am

Thanks Polly, I'll try that.

Love,

Joanna

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:18 am

Crohn's, UC and IBS have their own codes, in fact, multiple codes!!

Noninfectious enteritis and colitis (555–558)
(555) Regional enteritis
(555.0) Crohn's, small intestine
(555.1) Crohn's, large intestine
(555.9) Crohn's disease, NOS
(556) Idiopathic proctocolitis
(556.9) Ulcerative colitis, unspec.
Sub-codes:
entero- 556.0
fulminant 557.0
ileo- 556.1
left-sided 556.5
procto- 556.2
proctosigmoid 556.3
psychogenic 316 [556]
specified NEC 556.8
universal 556.6
(557) Vascular insufficiency of intestine
(557.0) Vascular insufficiency, acute, intestine
(557.9) Ischemic bowel disease, unspec.
(558) Other noninfectious gastroenteritis and colitis
(558.9) Gastroenteritis, noninfectious, unspec.

Other diseases of intestines and peritoneum (560–569)
(560) Intestinal obstruction without mention of hernia
(560.1) Ileus
(560.3) Impaction of intestine
(560.9) Intestinal obstruction, unspec.
(562) Diverticula of intestine
(562.1) Diverticulosis of colon
(562.11) Diverticulitis of colon, NOS
(562.12) Diverticulosis, colon w/ hemorrhage
(564) Functional digestive disorders, not elsewhere classified
(564.0) Constipation, unspec.
(564.1) Irritable bowel syndrome

More sub-codes here: http://www.icd9data.com/2011/Volume1/52 ... efault.htm

Post by **tex** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:47 am

I still say that MC is an orphan disease.

When you consider that even a disease that doesn't exist, (IBS), has it's own code, the situation appears to be pretty bleak for MC ever gaining any respect.

Tex

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:38 pm

Boy, that's pretty revealing and discouraging.

Good work, Zizzle.

Gloria

Post by **tex** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 11:56 am

I can't help but wonder who's ultimately responsible for this conspiracy against legitimatizing MC. Is it virtually everyone in all the affiliated industries, (medicine, pharmaceuticals, insurance, etc.), or is there one omnipotent individual, out there somewhere, who has the exclusive authority to make these decisions? :lookwayoutwindow:

Tex

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Their attitude seems to be "Hey, it's just diarrhea. We all get diarrhea sometimes. Get a life." I had that same attitude about myself, if you will recall, when I was first diagnosed almost four months ago. I had no idea how sick I was until I got better. And now I know better.