2009-09-24
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a complete list of ICD-9 diagnoses and procedural coding changes that will become effective on October 1, 2009. The following two
changes on the list will impact hematology.
Diagnosis Code for Chemotherapy
Induced Anemia Established
A
new ICD-9 diagnosis code that describes chemotherapy induced anemia will become
available to providers. Code 285.3, Antineoplastic chemotherapy induced
anemia, has been added to the ICD-9 code set. Previously there was no
code to differentiate antineoplastic chemotherapy induced anemia from other
anemias. Antineoplastic chemotherapy induced anemia is anemia acquired
secondary to the administration of antineoplastic chemotherapy. This new
code will benefit ASH members by allowing for greater specificity in coding.
Updates Made to Myelodysplastic
Syndrome (MDS) Codes
As a result of an ASH
recommendation, editorial changes were made to the inclusion terms of ICD-9
codes 238.72-Low grade myelodysplastic syndrome lesions (MDS) and 238.73-High grade MDS lesions. The specific editorial changes include
the addition of Refractory anemia with excess blasts-1 (RAEB-1) under code
238.72-Low grade MDS, and the deletion of RAEB-1 under code 238.73-High grade
MDS. The update will improve Medicare coverage for
erythropoiesis-stimulating agent treatment for patients with MDS.
back to top
