Although the public health emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 ended on May 11, 2023, we continue to see updates to the COVID-19 guidelines to align us with the post pandemic environment. The first wave of guideline updates came in October 2023 (see our blog titled Coding for COVID Testing in a Post Pandemic World from November 2023) when we were finally cleared to use code Z11.52, Encounter for screening for COVID-19. But it’s not over yet – more changes to the COVID guidelines are coming.
Two guidelines are being revised for the April 1, 2025 code updates that will end coding directly from a positive lab result. Effective on that date, COVID-19 may only be coded from a provider’s statement that the condition exists. This guideline change should come as no surprise since there is no other condition in ICD-10-CM where we are allowed to code without a physician’s interpretation. In fact, many of us were surprised to see the guideline when it was released since we’ve always been told to never code from a lab report.
Although there are no new ICD-10-CM codes for the April update, there are new guidelines for reporting obesity and several changes to the tabular instructional notes and correction of indexing errors.
To learn more about the April 2025 updates and FAQs Haugen Academy has received over the last few months, be sure to tune into our ICD-10 updates webinars.
Kristi Pollard, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIRCC, AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer
Director of Coding Quality & Education
Kristi is the Director of Coding Quality & Education with more than 25 years of industry experience; she is responsible for the development of web-based, instructor-led, and webinar training materials; conducting training in ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT; and performing DRG and APC audits. Kristi has an extensive background in coding education and consulting and is a national speaker and published writer on topics related to ICD-10 and CPT coding and code-based reimbursement. She has designed and developed training programs for inpatient and outpatient hospital-based coding, with a focus on vascular interventional radiology, interventional cardiology, orthopedics, and obstetrics.
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