Rheumatoid vasculitis w rheumatoid arthritis mult site

This code signifies a severe systemic complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) where inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis) occurs, specifically affecting multiple anatomical sites. It indicates active rheumatoid vasculitis in a patient with a confirmed diagnosis of RA.

Use this code when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of rheumatoid vasculitis affecting multiple sites in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Supporting documentation includes physician notes detailing signs and symptoms of vasculitis (e.g., skin ulcers, neuropathy, organ involvement) and a confirmed RA diagnosis.

• Ensure documentation specifies "multiple sites" for the vasculitis; otherwise, a more specific site code may be appropriate.
• Always code the underlying rheumatoid arthritis (e.g., M05.xx) as the primary diagnosis if the vasculitis is a manifestation of the RA.
• Look for explicit physician documentation of "rheumatoid vasculitis" and the affected body areas.