The following Covid-19 coding changes are effective as of Jan. 1, 2021:
REMOVE:
- Z20.828 should NO LONGER BE USED for possible or suspected exposure to Covid-19 for dates of service (DOS) on or after Jan. 1, 2021.
- Z11.52 should NO LONGER BE USED for encounter screening.
NEW:
Pre-procedural testing:
- Primary code: Z01.812 – Encounter for pre-procedural laboratory examination.
- Secondary code: Z20.822 – Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other viral communicable diseases
Suspected or actual exposure to Covid-19 – Symptomatic/Asymptomatic:
- Symptomatic Z20.822 – For symptomatic patients with actual exposure or suspected exposure to Covid-19 when the infection has been ruled out or test results are inconclusive or unknown.
- Primary diagnosis should be Z20.822, while secondary codes should be signs and symptoms.
- Asymptomatic Z20.822 – For asymptomatic patients with actual exposure or suspected exposure to Covid-19. No additional diagnoses code is needed.
Other new Covid codes:
- J12.82 – Pneumonia due to Covid-19
- M35.81 – Multisystem inflammatory syndrome
- M35.89 – Other specified systemic involvement of connective tissue
- Z86.16 – Personal history of Covid-19
Use of signs and symptoms:
For patients presenting with signs and symptoms, such as fever or cough, assign the appropriate code(s) for either confirmed exposure or suspected exposure use Z20.822 along with a diagnosis code for each of the signs and symptoms that present, such as:
- R05 – Cough
- R06.02 – Shortness of breath
- R07.0 – Pain throat
- R09.81 – Congestion
- R43.9 – Loss of smell and taste
- R50.9 – Fever
- R68.83 – Chills without fever
CONTINUE:
- U07.1 should continue to be used for confirmed cases of Covid-19 that will be reported to the CDC. This should only be used if Covid-19 has been confirmed!
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