CMS encourages providers to talk, test, and treat STDs.
When it comes to sexually transmitted disease (STD) awareness, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging providers to take three simple steps in protecting their patients through talk, testing, and treating:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also published information indicating that STDs are at an all-time high. In 2017 there were:
Anyone who has sex is at risk for STDs, but the following groups are more affected:
Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can be more severe for women. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can cause serious health problems for the baby.
CMS recommends appropriate Medicare-covered preventive services be utilized, including:
You will find the diagnosis codes for sexually transmitted diseases in Chapter 1: Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, with the code category block A50-A64 covering infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission. There a Type 1 Excludes note listed also:
In looking at the Tabular list of Code Blocks, the following can be found:
Another code that may be helpful to be aware of is Z11.3, Encounter for screening for infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission.
There are no chapter 1-specific guidelines regarding the code range A50-A64. However, all coding professionals should be reading through the American Hospital Association (AHA) Coding Clinic on ICD-10-CM to receive additional guidance on the coding of sexually transmitted diseases that may have been published.
Striving for coding accuracy, integrity, and compliance always requires a complete understanding of the disease process, plus the Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The author of this article used artificial intelligence- (AI)-assisted tools in its composition, but all content, analysis, and conclusions were based on the
As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) clarifies existing Medicare policies like the Two-Midnight Rule, which guides the appropriateness of inpatient services, some
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