Question

When brackets in the Alphabetic Index convention is used, the code in the brackets is the

A) secondary code.
B) primary diagnosis.
C) primary code.
D) nonessential code.

Answer 1

In the Alphabetic Index convention of ICD codes, brackets are used to indicate a nonessential code that provides additional information or clarification but is not necessary for coding the primary diagnosis or primary code.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the Alphabetic Index convention of ICD codes, when brackets are used, the code within the brackets denotes a nonessential code. This means that the code within the brackets provides additional information or clarification but is not necessary for coding the primary diagnosis or primary code. It is often used to further specify the primary code or provide additional details about the condition being coded.

For example, if the primary code is for a fracture, the code within the brackets may specify the type of fracture or the anatomical location of the fracture.

So, in this case, the correct answer would be D) nonessential code.