Final answer:
The statement that signs and symptoms are not coded when the cause of an illness is known is false. Both signs, which are observed, and symptoms, which are experienced, are important for a full medical report and are typically included in medical coding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that signs and symptoms that are characteristic of an illness are not coded when the cause is known is false. Medical coding often requires that both the signs and symptoms and the diagnosis be included. This is because signs are objective evidence of disease observed by healthcare professionals, such as a rash or an abnormal blood test, while symptoms are subjective and experienced by the patient, like pain or fatigue. Understanding and recording both can assist in the complete medical picture of the patient's health status.
Also, syndromes, which are specific groups of signs and symptoms associated with a particular disease, are important for coding purposes as they aid in the diagnosis.