Many new codes abound in final update to proposed ICD-9-CM code set

If you’ve felt that your skin cancer diagnoses could use a bit more specificity, ICD-9 will deliver this October if the proposed list of new, deleted, and revised diagnosis codes becomes final. The list of ICD-9 changes was recently posted to the CMS Website, and includes the final full set of changes that the agency will make to ICD-9 codes. After the new codes take effect on Oct. 1, CMS will only add new ICD- 9 codes on an emergency basis as it prepares to switch over the diagnosis coding system to ICD-10.

Seek Out Skin Cancer Changes

You’ll find a significant expansion to the 173.x (Other malignant neoplasm of skin) categories, including changes to 173.0x (…Skin of lip), 173.1x (Eyelid, including canthus), 173.2x (Skin of ear and external auditory canal), 173.3x (Skin of other and unspecified parts of face), 173.4x (Scalp and skin of neck), 173.5x (Skin of trunk, except scrotum), 173.6x (Skin of upper limb, including shoulder), 173.7x (Skin of lower limb, including hip), 173.8x (Other specified sites of skin), and 173.9x (Skin, site unspecified).

 Among these changes, for example, you’ll find the following new codes to delineate various types of skin cancers:

• 173.60 —Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.61 — Basal cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.62 — Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.69 — Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder.

 The changes in the other skin cancer categories referenced above follow this pattern, with the fifth digit of “0” referring to an unspecified malignant neoplasm, “1” denoting a basal cell cancer, “2” referring to a squamous cell carcinoma,” and “9”...

Many new codes abound in final update to proposed ICD-9-CM code set.

 If you’ve felt that your skin cancer diagnoses could use a bit more specificity, ICD-9 will deliver this October if the proposed list of new, deleted, and revised diagnosis codes becomes final. The list of ICD-9 changes was recently posted to the CMS Website, and includes the final full set of changes that the agency will make to ICD-9 codes. After the new codes take effect on Oct. 1, CMS will only add new ICD- 9 codes on an emergency basis as it prepares to switch over the diagnosis coding system to ICD-10.

Seek Out Skin Cancer Changes

You’ll find a significant expansion to the 173.x (Other malignant neoplasm of skin) categories, including changes to 173.0x (…Skin of lip), 173.1x (Eyelid, including canthus), 173.2x (Skin of ear and external auditory canal), 173.3x (Skin of other and unspecified parts of face), 173.4x (Scalp and skin of neck), 173.5x (Skin of trunk, except scrotum), 173.6x (Skin of upper limb, including shoulder), 173.7x (Skin of lower limb, including hip), 173.8x (Other specified sites of skin), and 173.9x (Skin, site unspecified).

Among these changes, for example, you’ll find the following new codes to delineate various types of skin cancers:

• 173.60 —Unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.61 — Basal cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.62 — Squamous cell carcinoma of skin of upper limb, including shoulder
• 173.69 — Other specified malignant neoplasm of skin of upper limb, including shoulder.

 The changes in the other skin cancer categories referenced above follow this pattern, with the fifth digit of “0” referring to an unspecified malignant neoplasm, “1” denoting a basal cell cancer, “2” referring to a squamous cell carcinoma,” and “9” describing another...