--- title: Coding for Healthcare Encounters in Hurricane Aftermath description: With the Hurricane season in full swing, this new guideline will be helpful in reporting the external cause codes when an injury occurs as a result of the hurricane, and also help in determining sequencing of the reported codes. image: https://hiacode.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg --- # Coding for Healthcare Encounters in Hurricane Aftermath ![HIAcode](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/Logos/HIA_RGB_PrimaryLogo_Icon%20(1)_Artboard%201.png) [HIAcode](https://hiacode.com/blog/author/hiacode) Aug 15, 2022 [Industry News](https://hiacode.com/blog/tag/industry-news) [Medical Coding Tips](https://hiacode.com/blog/tag/medical-coding-tips) ![coding for healthcare encounters in hurricane aftermath](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg) - Share on: - [![](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/Facebook%20svg.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath) - [![](https://hiacode.com/hs-fs/hubfs/twitter.png?width=32&height=32&name=twitter.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I+found+this+interesting+blog+post&url=https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath) - [![](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/LinkedIn%20svg.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath) - [![](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/mdi_email.svg)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath%20&body=Check%20out%20https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath&media=https://20824215.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20824215/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg) - ![](https://hiacode.com/hubfs/entypo_link.svg) copied With the Hurricane season in full swing, this guideline will be helpful in reporting the external cause codes when an injury occurs as a result of the hurricane, and also help in determining sequencing of the reported codes.   ## **New ICD-10-CM Codes for FY2019 to Report Hurricane** - **X37.0XXA—Hurricane, initial encounter** - **X37.0XXD—Hurricane, subsequent encounter** - **X37.0XXS—Hurricane, sequela** ### Use of External Cause of Morbidity Codes: - Never reported as the principal diagnosis or first-listed code and are supplemental codes only - Capture how the injury or condition happened—**REMEMBER: IPAS (injury how it occurred; place of occurrence; activity of patient at time of injury; status of the patient)** - May be assigned in all health care settings - A healthcare setting is considered any location where medical care is provided by licensed healthcare professionals. ### Sequencing of External Causes of Morbidity Codes: - When cataclysmic events occur (such as hurricane) these codes take priority over all other external cause (except child abuse, adult abuse, and terrorism) - Assign as many external cause of morbidity codes as needed to fully explain the circumstances of the injury/condition If it is not clearly documented that the injury/condition is a direct result of the hurricane, the coder should assume the injury/condition is due to the hurricane and report X37.0-. If the injury is not a direct result of the hurricane do not assign X37.0-. What this means is that injuries/conditions may arise during a hurricane that are not related to the actual hurricane (such as a MVC or animal bite). *Authored by Kim Boy, RHIT, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P* *References:* *ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting FY2019; Page 19-21 *AHA Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS, Fourth Quarter 2018: Page 57* * --- [HIA’s comprehensive auditing approach](https://hiacode.com/acute-review-services) includes [acute coding audits](https://hiacode.com/acute-review) and [Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) audits](https://hiacode.com/clinical-documentation-integrity). ---   **[![Medical Coding Auditing Services](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20824215/92d7fb18-9eb2-4e67-b38c-cefd4ca70b1e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20824215/92d7fb18-9eb2-4e67-b38c-cefd4ca70b1e)** > ***The information contained in this coding advice is valid at the time of posting. 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[ Read More](https://hiacode.com/blog/proactive-coding-quality-assurance) ## Subscribe to our Newsletter Weekly medical coding tips and coding education delivered directly to your inbox. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "HIAcode", "url" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/author/hiacode" }, "dateModified" : "2024-01-31T16:49:54.112Z", "datePublished" : "2022-08-15T04:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Coding for Healthcare Encounters in Hurricane Aftermath", "image" : [ "https://hiacode.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://hiacode.com/hubfs/HIA_RGB_AlternativeLogo%20(1)%20(1).png" }, "name" : "Health Information Associates" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Article", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kim Boy, RHIT, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P", "url" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/author/kim-boy" }, "dateModified" : "2022-07-26", "datePublished" : "2018-10-12", "description" : "With the Hurricane season in full swing, this new guideline will be helpful in reporting the external cause codes when an injury occurs as a result of the hurricane, and also help in determining sequencing of the reported codes.", "headline" : "Coding Tip: Coding for Healthcare Encounters in Hurricane Aftermath", "image" : "https://20824215.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20824215/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : "60", "url" : "https://20824215.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20824215/Logos/Health%20Information%20Associates%20HIAcode.png", "width" : "60" }, "name" : "Health Information Associates" }, "url" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kim Boy, RHIT, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P", "url" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/author/kim-boy" }, "dateModified" : "2022-07-28", "datePublished" : "2018-10-12", "description" : "With the Hurricane season in full swing, this new guideline will be helpful in reporting the external cause codes when an injury occurs as a result of the hurricane, and also help in determining sequencing of the reported codes.", "headline" : "Coding Tip: Coding for Healthcare Encounters in Hurricane Aftermath", "image" : "https://20824215.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20824215/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock-1038477100-1.jpg", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : "60", "url" : "https://20824215.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20824215/Logos/Health%20Information%20Associates%20HIAcode.png", "width" : "60" }, "name" : "" }, "url" : "https://hiacode.com/blog/education/coding-for-healthcare-encounters-in-hurricane-aftermath" } ```