Medical Coding Practice Test

What term in the provided text indicates that a coder may not code a procedure separately if it was performed as an operative approach?

1. "code as far as it proceeded. there are V codes available to code the diagnosis of surgery cancelled"

2. "omit code" coding procedure (ICD-9-CM)

3. "sign" (ICD-9-CM)

4. "symptom" (ICD-9-CM)

The correct answer is: "omit code" coding procedure (ICD-9-CM)

In the provided text, the term "omit code" indicates that a coder may not code a procedure separately if it was performed as an operative approach. This term suggests that the coder should exclude or leave out a specific code when certain conditions are met, such as when the procedure was part of an operative approach. By omitting the code in this scenario, it prevents duplicate coding or billing for the same procedure, ensuring accurate and compliant coding practices. Regarding the other options: A. "code as far as it proceeded. there are V codes available to code the diagnosis of surgery cancelled" - This text does not specifically address the situation where a procedure should be omitted if performed as an operative approach. C. "sign" (ICD-9-CM) - This term is unrelated to the concept of omitting a procedure code if performed as an operative approach. D. "symptom" (ICD-9-CM) - This term pertains to symptoms in diagnosis coding and does not relate to the scenario of omitting a procedure code performed as an operative approach.