An obstetric inpatient diagnosis falls into a category with special…

Question

An obstetric inpatient diagnosis falls into a category with special CMS present-on-admission instructions. What should the coder do?

Accepted Answer

Apply the category-specific POA guidance applicable to that obstetric diagnosis rather than assuming a single rule for all OB codes. — OB POA isn't one blanket sticker for the whole chapter. Some categories have special instructions—follow those, don't autopilot every OB code to Y or blank.

Answer

Ignore CMS POA guidance and assign Y for every obstetric code.

Answer

Leave POA blank on all obstetric diagnoses because pregnancy codes are universally exempt without checking the exempt list.

Answer

Convert all obstetric diagnoses to newborn codes to avoid POA reporting.

An obstetric inpatient diagnosis falls into a category with special CMS present-on-admission instructions. What should the coder do?

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