Justifying a procedure code with a diagnosis code is known as:

A) medical necessity.
B) the National Correct Coding Initiative.
C) unbundling.
D) upcoding.

Medical Necessity

The determination that the health care professional was acting according to standard practices in providing a particular procedure for an individual with a particular diagnosis. Also referred to as medically necessary.

National Correct Coding Initiative

The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) is a Medicare initiative that prevents improper payment of services that should not be reported together according to standardized coding guidelines.