Screening for chronic bronchitis and emphysema

This code signifies an encounter for the purpose of screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), specifically chronic bronchitis and emphysema, in individuals who are asymptomatic or without a current diagnosis of these conditions. It indicates a preventive health service aimed at early detection of these progressive lung diseases.

Use this code when a patient presents for a routine check-up or preventive screening where the primary reason for the visit is to assess for the presence of chronic bronchitis or emphysema. This might include patients with risk factors such as a history of smoking or occupational exposure, but who are not yet exhibiting symptoms warranting a definitive diagnosis.

• This code is for screening purposes only; do not use if the patient has a confirmed diagnosis of chronic bronchitis or emphysema.
• Always sequence this code as the primary diagnosis when screening is the sole reason for the encounter.
• Consider adding a secondary code for any identified risk factors, such as a history of tobacco use (e.g., V15.82).