This page addresses follow-up questions and additional information pertinent to our webinar
ICD-10 Coding Updates Q3 2026: Beyond the Headlines.
** The coding information and guidance are valid at the time of publishing. Learners are encouraged to research
subsequent official guidance in the areas associated with the topic as they can change rapidly.
Q: Doesn’t the default coding guideline I.A.18 take precedence over Coding Clinic advice to code reactive airway disease (RAD) without asthma using symptom codes?
A: Normally, coding guidelines take precedence. However, in this circumstance, we recommend following the Coding Clinic guidance.
RAD is commonly documented in pediatric records when the provider is not yet ready to diagnose asthma. Because many children with RAD may never go on to develop asthma, assigning an asthma diagnosis could inaccurately place a lifelong condition on the patient’s medical record.
When asthma is not documented, follow the Coding Clinic advice and assign the appropriate documented signs and symptoms instead. This represents a significant change in how RAD may be coded and is an important point for coders to recognize.
Q: Many Coding Clinic articles recommend assigning multiple codes. How can coders recognize when one code does not fully capture the condition?
A: Think about whether the code assignment tells the complete clinical story. Review applicable instructional notes and determine whether additional codes are needed to identify important details such as a complication, the resulting condition, or the causative organism.
For example, a septic total knee arthroplasty may require separate codes to identify the prosthetic joint infection, the septic arthritis, and the responsible bacterial organism. Similarly, neovaginal stenosis requires a code for the postprocedural complication as well as a code identifying the specific stricture.
The goal is not simply to assign more codes. Additional codes should be reported when they contribute meaningful details that more completely describe the patient’s condition.
Meet the Presenter: Kristi Pollard, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIRCC
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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