CodingQuestion 18 of 100

The instructional note 'use additional code' in ICD-10-CM tells the coder to:

a.Delete the primary code and use only the additional one
b.Never assign more than one code for the encounter
c.Report a secondary code to fully describe the condition when documentation supports it
d.Assign a modifier instead of a second code

Explanation

'Use additional code' is a convention prompting the coder to add a secondary code that gives a more complete picture, such as an infectious organism or an associated manifestation, when the record supports it. It works together with 'code first' notes to enforce proper sequencing. Ignoring these notes can lead to incomplete claims.

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