Can V codes be used as primary diagnoses?
In many circumstances, V codes should be used only as a secondary diagnosis code and should not be selected for use as the primary diagnosis code. The ICD-9-CM provides these V codes to deal with encounters for circumstances other than disease/injury. V codes may be used in 3 circumstances: • When a well person encounters health services for some specific reason (e.g., health screening, immunizations, lab tests) • When a person w/a chronic condition encounters health care system for specific aftercare (e.g., dialysis) • When circumstances influence a person’s health status but are not an illness or injury (e.g., person w/artificial heart valve) In circumstances #2 and #3, V codes should be used only as a secondary code and should not be selected as the primary code. However, V-codes may be used as the principal diagnosis code to identify services related to aftercare and rehabilitation therapy. Providers should use additional code(s) to identify underlying medical condition(s) when V-c
