Re: I.C.D.-9 slavery

[Guest guest]

Sorry a, but Raynaud's Syndrome is listed in the AAFP long table

of 1500 most common diagnoses.

443.0

> The concept of an international system to codify medical diagnoses may

> have some merit, but come on, give me a break. That money spent on

> those silly code books is so insulting ... on a good day, I try to

> remember laughing at Chico Marx, in A Day at the Races --- " getcher

> code book ! ... " , then selling Groucho a second set of code books, to

> de-cipher the first set ... I don't know if this is the worst

> invention to ever get excreted into the practice of medicine, but it

> is certainly an enormous burden. After about 10-15 minutes of fumbling

> through my code books, and my on-line references, I am ready to just

> give up, or settle on anything close. An example: Raynaud's

> Phenomenon (much more common than Raynaud's Syndrome) has no code

> number, that I can find ... so, either label the patient with

> something much worse than she actually has, or back it off to

> something vague and meaningless, like " pain in extremity " ... Has

> anybody found an I.C.D.-9 code for isolated Raynaud's

> Phenomenon ? ... If it is the insurance industry which wants every

> bean counted, every variant of U.R.I. tallied, every polygonal peg

> rounded-off and jammed-into one of these round holes, then why do we

> have to do their work ? ... It drives me crazy. In 4 years of medical

> school, and 3 years of residency, I learned enough diagnoses (and

> treatments) to start practicing medicine (in 1980), but nobody told me

> I might need to spend hours-upon-hours, in endless search for a code

> number, to match every diagnosis ... Makes you wanta holler, the way

> the do my mind. Rian Mintek, M.D. ... deconstructing, at the end of

> a long day ...

>

>

--

Graham Chiu

http://www.synapsedirect.com

Synapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

[Guest guest]

Try: http://www.icd9data.com/ It has a search function. It doesn't

fix the ICD 9 system but does make it workable - it works so well I

never bought a book.

[Guest guest]

Thank you wood.avery for the above link. That is a great resource.

Because I no longer contract with insurance, I was no longer going to buy the ICD9 code books (For the first time in 10 years), and I was sufferring from a slight bit of concern for how up to date my coding would be for my patients who are submitting their own insurance claims for reimbursement.

I will no longer worry!

I also wholeheartedly agree with a. What a bunch of bull% & #! that takes time away from patient care issues and gives us absolutely no usable information, mainly because of its complexity. I have never been able to find a code for a kid with an otitis media and PE tubes in place. I have always used the perforated TM OM code, but that does not really describe what is going on.

For anyone who feels like usable data is coming out of the ICD9 coding system, I have a large bridge for sale in California....

By the way, if anyone looks at my patient data through coding eyes, I have the most " malaised and fatigued " group (780.79) anyone could imagine. Works to get through most Medicare labs when I do not have the time to tease out 7 diagnoses codes to cross every " T " and dot every " I " for the poor lab that is trying to get paid by Medicare.

Durango, CO

Try: http://www.icd9data.com/ It has a search function. It doesn't fix the ICD 9 system but does make it workable - it works so well I never bought a book.

[Guest guest]

I agree great resource I put it on the wiki for others AveryI just use Google:)

Thank you wood.avery for the above link. That is a great resource.

Because I no longer contract with insurance, I was no longer going to buy the ICD9 code books (For the first time in 10 years), and I was sufferring from a slight bit of concern for how up to date my coding would be for my patients who are submitting their own insurance claims for reimbursement.

I will no longer worry!

I also wholeheartedly agree with a. What a bunch of bull% & #! that takes time away from patient care issues and gives us absolutely no usable information, mainly because of its complexity. I have never been able to find a code for a kid with an otitis media and PE tubes in place. I have always used the perforated TM OM code, but that does not really describe what is going on.

For anyone who feels like usable data is coming out of the ICD9 coding system, I have a large bridge for sale in California....

By the way, if anyone looks at my patient data through coding eyes, I have the most " malaised and fatigued " group (780.79) anyone could imagine. Works to get through most Medicare labs when I do not have the time to tease out 7 diagnoses codes to cross every " T " and dot every " I " for the poor lab that is trying to get paid by Medicare.

Durango, CO

Try: http://www.icd9data.com/ It has a search function. It doesn't fix the ICD 9 system but does make it workable - it works so well I never bought a book.

-- If you are a patient please allow up to 24 hours for a reply by email/please note the new email address.Remember that e-mail may not be entirely secure/ MD

ph fax

[Guest guest]

a-Hold on to your hat-We are going to ICD 10----- from 7000 codes in ICD 9 to 255,000 codes in ICD 10

Subject: I.C.D.-9 slaveryTo: Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2008, 11:15 PM

The concept of an international system to codify medical diagnoses may have some merit, but come on, give me a break. That money spent on those silly code books is so insulting ... on a good day, I try to remember laughing at Chico Marx, in A Day at the Races --- "getcher code book ! ... ", then selling Groucho a second set of code books, to de-cipher the first set ... I don't know if this is the worst invention to ever get excreted into the practice of medicine, but it is certainly an enormous burden. After about 10-15 minutes of fumbling through my code books, and my on-line references, I am ready to just give up, or settle on anything close. An example: Raynaud's Phenomenon (much more common than Raynaud's Syndrome) has no code number, that I can find ... so, either label the patient with something much worse than she actually has, or back it off to something vague and meaningless, like "pain in

extremity" ... Has anybody found an I.C.D.-9 code for isolated Raynaud's Phenomenon ? ... If it is the insurance industry which wants every bean counted, every variant of U.R.I. tallied, every polygonal peg rounded-off and jammed-into one of these round holes, then why do we have to do their work ? ... It drives me crazy. In 4 years of medical school, and 3 years of residency, I learned enough diagnoses (and treatments) to start practicing medicine (in 1980), but nobody told me I might need to spend hours-upon-hours, in endless search for a code number, to match every diagnosis ... Makes you wanta holler, the way the do my mind. Rian Mintek, M.D. ... deconstructing, at the end of a long day ...

[Guest guest]

Graham, Rian wrote the email below.He figures out the codes andthen I bill them. I'll let him know.aSorry a, but Raynaud's Syndrome is listed in the AAFP long tableof 1500 most common diagnoses.443.0On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 6:15 PM, a Mintek <mintekcharter (DOT) net> wrote:> The concept of an international system to codify medical diagnoses may> have some merit, but come on, give me a break. That money spent on> those silly code books is so insulting ... on a good day, I try to> remember laughing at Chico Marx, in A Day at the Races --- "getcher> code book ! ... ", then selling Groucho a second set of code books, to> de-cipher the first set ... I don't know if this is the worst> invention to ever get excreted into the practice of medicine, but it> is certainly an enormous burden. After about 10-15 minutes of fumbling> through my code books, and my on-line references, I am ready to just> give up, or settle on anything close. An example: Raynaud's> Phenomenon (much more common than Raynaud's Syndrome) has no code> number, that I can find ... so, either label the patient with> something much worse than she actually has, or back it off to> something vague and meaningless, like "pain in extremity" ... Has> anybody found an I.C.D.-9 code for isolated Raynaud's> Phenomenon ? ... If it is the insurance industry which wants every> bean counted, every variant of U.R.I. tallied, every polygonal peg> rounded-off and jammed-into one of these round holes, then why do we> have to do their work ? ... It drives me crazy. In 4 years of medical> school, and 3 years of residency, I learned enough diagnoses (and> treatments) to start practicing medicine (in 1980), but nobody told me> I might need to spend hours-upon-hours, in endless search for a code> number, to match every diagnosis ... Makes you wanta holler, the way> the do my mind. Rian Mintek, M.D. ... deconstructing, at the end of> a long day ...>> -- Graham Chiuhttp://www.synapsedirect.comSynapse - the use from anywhere EMR.

[Guest guest]

Rian,

I have never heard of Reynaud’s Phenomenon vs. Reynaud’s

Syndrome. Is there really a difference?

But, I do otherwise appreciate your rant. I can’t

find a code for something like Mitral Regurg but there are > 10 codes for

conjunctivitis or cataracts. I don’t need to know which kind of

cataract. But I would like to know which kind of heart valve problem my

patient has.

Kathy Saradarian, MD

Branchville, NJ

www.qualityfamilypractice.com

Solo 4/03, Practicing since 9/90

Practice Partner 5/03

Low staffing

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of a Mintek

Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:15 AM

To:

Subject: I.C.D.-9 slavery

The concept of an international system to codify medical diagnoses may

have some merit, but come on, give me a break. That money spent on

those silly code books is so insulting ... on a good day, I try to

remember laughing at Chico Marx, in A Day at the Races --- " getcher

code book ! ... " , then selling Groucho a second set of code books, to

de-cipher the first set ... I don't know if this is the worst

invention to ever get excreted into the practice of medicine, but it

is certainly an enormous burden. After about 10-15 minutes of fumbling

through my code books, and my on-line references, I am ready to just

give up, or settle on anything close. An example: Raynaud's

Phenomenon (much more common than Raynaud's Syndrome) has no code

number, that I can find ... so, either label the patient with

something much worse than she actually has, or back it off to

something vague and meaningless, like " pain in extremity " ... Has

anybody found an I.C.D.-9 code for isolated Raynaud's

Phenomenon ? ... If it is the insurance industry which wants every

bean counted, every variant of U.R.I. tallied, every polygonal peg

rounded-off and jammed-into one of these round holes, then why do we

have to do their work ? ... It drives me crazy. In 4 years of medical

school, and 3 years of residency, I learned enough diagnoses (and

treatments) to start practicing medicine (in 1980), but nobody told me

I might need to spend hours-upon-hours, in endless search for a code

number, to match every diagnosis ... Makes you wanta holler, the way

the do my mind. Rian Mintek, M.D. ... deconstructing, at the end of

a long day ...

[Guest guest]

My ICD-9 book has Raynaud’s…disease,

syndrome, gangrene, and phenomenon all as the same code – 443.0.

This is partly why they (the insurance co’s) want to go to ICD-10.

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C

Roy Medical Associates, Inc.

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of a Mintek

Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008

9:15 PM

To:

Subject:

I.C.D.-9 slavery

The

concept of an international system to codify medical diagnoses may

have some merit, but come on, give me a break. That money spent on

those silly code books is so insulting ... on a good day, I try to

remember laughing at Chico Marx, in A Day at the Races --- " getcher

code book ! ... " , then selling Groucho a second set of code books, to

de-cipher the first set ... I don't know if this is the worst

invention to ever get excreted into the practice of medicine, but it

is certainly an enormous burden. After about 10-15 minutes of fumbling

through my code books, and my on-line references, I am ready to just

give up, or settle on anything close. An example: Raynaud's

Phenomenon (much more common than Raynaud's Syndrome) has no code

number, that I can find ... so, either label the patient with

something much worse than she actually has, or back it off to

something vague and meaningless, like " pain in extremity " ... Has

anybody found an I.C.D.-9 code for isolated Raynaud's

Phenomenon ? ... If it is the insurance industry which wants every

bean counted, every variant of U.R.I. tallied, every polygonal peg

rounded-off and jammed-into one of these round holes, then why do we

have to do their work ? ... It drives me crazy. In 4 years of medical

school, and 3 years of residency, I learned enough diagnoses (and

treatments) to start practicing medicine (in 1980), but nobody told me

I might need to spend hours-upon-hours, in endless search for a code

number, to match every diagnosis ... Makes you wanta holler, the way

the do my mind. Rian Mintek, M.D. ... deconstructing, at the end of

a long day ...