Practical tips on coding for diabetes care

This article is designed to assist with the challenging effort to obtain reimbursement for health-care services to patients with diabetes. The basics of coding diagnoses and services are presented, including background information and specific examples of the use of codes that are particularly pertinent to the clinical endocrinologist's care of the patient with diabetes. The coding of diagnoses with use of the current International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, clinical modification (ICD-9-CM) classification system and the coding of outpatient and inpatient services by using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes and modifiers are outlined, including the use of the relatively new prolonged physician services codes. A discussion of reimbursement for diabetes education and pertinent revenue codes for hospital services is included, and resource references for further study are provided.