Hepatic Cirrhosis Documentation Guide
Chronic liver scarring resulting in hepatic dysfunction and portal hypertension.
ICD-10 Codes: K74.0, K74.3, K74.4, K74.5, K74.60, K74.69
Common Symptoms
- Jaundice
- Ascites
- Fatigue
- Easy bruising
- Spider angiomata
- Hepatic encephalopathy
Key Documentation Elements
- Cirrhosis etiology
- Child-Pugh class (A, B, C)
- MELD-Na score
- Complication status (ascites, varices, encephalopathy)
- HCC surveillance status
- Transplant evaluation status if applicable
Documentation Challenges
- Documenting Child-Pugh and MELD scores
- Recording complications (ascites, varices, encephalopathy)
- Capturing etiology of cirrhosis
- Tracking hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance
Billing Considerations
- HCC codes for cirrhosis with complications
- Etiology-specific coding for proper risk adjustment
- Complication documentation for higher severity coding
- Alcohol vs non-alcohol distinction
Frequently Asked Questions
What ICD-10 codes are used for cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis codes include K74.60 (unspecified without alcohol), K74.69 (other without alcohol), and K70.30 (alcoholic). Scribeable selects the most accurate code based on documented etiology and complications.
How does Scribeable handle cirrhosis complications?
Scribeable captures ascites severity, variceal status, encephalopathy grade, and lab values from your encounter to calculate MELD-Na and Child-Pugh scores and document all complications with proper codes.