Education Consultant, e4health
This edition of Start Smart reviews key concepts in musculoskeletal coding. We frequently see errors when coders choose non-specific codes even though greater specificity is documented. These codes often require careful attention to detail, since ICD-10-CM provides codes that capture each of the following:
- Anatomical site
- Laterality
- Traumatic vs non-traumatic
- Acute vs chronic
It is also crucial to assign the correct 7th character, as this can affect whether the code maps to an HCC. The double-sided tip sheet below highlights these key concepts and reminders as a quick desk reference.
Download the musculoskeletal coding tip sheet
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