Two conditions are linked by “with” in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for a physician-office encounter. What convention generally applies?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
In the Index, “with” is a quiet handshake—those conditions are assumed related unless the chart clearly says otherwise. You don’t need the magic words “due to” stamped on every line to follow that convention.
Full Explanation
Official Guidelines provide that the word “with” or “in” in the Alphabetic Index or Tabular List generally means a presumed causal relationship between the linked conditions unless documentation indicates the conditions are unrelated. This convention applies in outpatient and physician-based coding as well as inpatient settings. It is distinct from Excludes1 mutual-exclusion rules.