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Home Health Coding: What are ‘Etiology’ versus ‘Manifestation’ ICDs?

‘Etiology’ and ‘Manifestation’ Home Health Coding on OASIS

In home health coding certain cases, ICD-9-CM guidelines require more than one diagnosis code to report a condition. The use of two diagnosis codes in is called “mandatory multiple coding,” “dual classification,” “dual coding,” or “mandatory dual coding.” One specific example of such mandatory dual coding is termed

“etiology/manifestation conventions” and involves the reporting of both a disease (the ‘cause’ or underlying problem) and one of its manifestations (the ‘effect’ or another condition caused by the problem).

Etiology’ versus ‘Manifestation’

The etiology ‘cause’ code is the underlying disease and must be listed first, before the code for a related manifestation. When a diagnosis