February is chock full of special days and observances for a smattering of random events. For instance, did you know that February 8-12 is “Random Acts of Kindness” Week? Or that February is National Bird Feeding Month, as well as Library Lover’s Month? We at Keystone Health Partners decided to take a look at ICD-10 codes for some of the daily, monthly, and weekly observances for the second month of the year. Let’s get started!
American Heart Month: Hearts are iconic symbols of love, so we wrote an entire blog devoted to ICD-10 codes about them...check it out next week! But besides reading about all the serious conditions that can happen to your heart, we also advise eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and engaging in exercise to keep your own heart healthy and strong!
February is also International Prenatal Infection Prevention Month. Getting good prenatal care starts with an expectant parents prebirth pediatrician visit (Z76.81), which is applicable to biological as well as adoptive parents. Of course prenatal infection prevention includes much more than just obstetric care during pregnancy. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has spearheaded efforts to advance research in the area of mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of infections. Most of their work is geared towards preventing HIV MTCT, with an emphasis in sub-Saharan Africa. Check out their efforts here.
Low Vision Awareness Month is also happening. The ICD-10 code for low vision, both eyes is H54.2. Low vision is different than blindness, and most often a result of age-related macular degeneration. We encourage everyone to schedule an examination this month from an optometrist or ophthalmologist since low vision can impact everyday activities like cooking, reading, driving, and more.
It’s also Children’s Dental Health Month, so let’s take a look at some codes relating to teeth and their formation:
- K00.4: disturbances in tooth formation, applicable to Turner’s tooth (often characterized by decreased or absent enamel)
- S03.2: dislocation of tooth (not a billable code)
- K03.81: cracked tooth, unfortunately goes undiagnosed a lot because x-rays come back negative and pulp vitality tests are normal
- K04.99: devitalized tooth (which fits under “other diseases of pulp and periapical tissues”)
February 7-14 is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Q24.9 is the ICD-10 code for congenital malformation of heart, unspecified, which means a problem that is present at birth. According to ICD Data, “congenital heart defects are the most common type of major birth defect. A baby's heart begins to develop shortly after conception. During development, structural defects can occur. These defects can involve the walls of the heart, the valves of the heart and the arteries and veins near the heart. Congenital heart defects can disrupt the normal flow of blood through the heart.”
We hope you enjoyed this look at ICD-10 codes for different observances during the month of February. We also have some entertaining wrap-ups of ICD-10 codes about love gone wrong and Florida vacations that might make you laugh. For anything else private medical practice-related, please contact Keystone Health Partners today to discuss whether we’re a great fit for your practice!
