Asked by Tiffany Lease on Jun 18, 2024

verifed

Verified

When both acute and chronic conditions are listed as the diagnosis and there is no combination code available, you should:

A) report the code for the acute condition first.
B) report the code for the chronic condition first.
C) report a sign code followed by the acute code and then the chronic code.
D) report a sign code followed by the chronic code and then the acute code.

Acute Conditions

Medical conditions characterized by sudden onset, rapid progress, and the need for urgent care, often of short duration.

Chronic Conditions

Long-term health conditions that may not have a cure and can affect a person's quality of life over an extended period.

Combination Code

A single code used to classify two or more diagnoses, a diagnosis with an associated secondary process, or a diagnosis with an associated complication.

  • Identify the circumstances that allow specific diagnoses to be coded and understand the regulations for determining the primary or principal diagnoses.
verifed

Verified Answer

GS
Gursewak Singh DevgunJun 24, 2024
Final Answer :
A
Explanation :
When both acute and chronic conditions are listed as the diagnosis and there is no combination code available, the acute condition should be reported first. This is because the acute condition is typically more severe and requires immediate attention. However, it is important to note that documentation should support the reporting order of the codes.