recommended ICD-9 coding for mycotoxicosis

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I was at my M.D. today (Dr. Graeme Shaw in Los Altos CA), who is a good guy and

aware of Shoemaker's work. For example, he gave me my CSM prescription. But he

only has the Desparation Medicine book and has not yet read Mold Warriors. He

wrote up the diagnosis as:

447.9 Allergic Rhinitis, Environmental Allergies

477.0 Allergy, Pollen

Which was WAY off base, this is Stachybotrys / Trichothecane T-2 poisoning with

all the gory symptoms, way beyond an allergy. I suggested that he report it as

" Mycotoxicosis " , which is the technical term I've seen on the web. And he

agreed to do this. But when I got to the nurses desk for her final printup of

the receipt to go to my insurance, she could find no such diagnosis in the ICD-9

manual.

Not being very familiar with ICD-9, I had to punt and say " well I guess it isnt

in there " . And she graciously added Mycotoxicosis without a coding to the form

by typing it in by hand.

When I got to a computer I found this site which has an online ICD-9:

http://icd9cm.chrisendres.com/

And I think I found a code for mycotoxicosis under this record, so the code is

989.7 " Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin [food contaminants] " , with the add on

phrase, " via lungs " :

http://icd9cm.chrisendres.com/index.php?action=child & recordid=9674

TOXIC EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCES CHIEFLY NONMEDICINAL AS TO SOURCE (980-989)

989 Toxic effect of other substances, chiefly nonmedicinal as to source

989.0 Hydrocyanic acid and cyanides

Potassium cyanide

Sodium cyanide

Excludes: gas and fumes (987.7)

989.1 Strychnine and salts

989.2 Chlorinated hydrocarbons

Aldrin

Chlordane

DDT

Dieldrin

Excludes: chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents (982.0-982.3)

989.3 Organophosphate and carbamate

Carbaryl

Dichlorvos

Malathion

Parathion

Phorate

Phosdrin

989.4 Other pesticides, not elsewhere classified

Mixtures of insecticides

989.5 Venom

Bites of venomous snakes, lizards, and spiders

Tick paralysis

989.6 Soaps and detergents

989.7 Aflatoxin and other mycotoxin [food contaminants]

989.8 Other substances, chiefly nonmedicinal as to source

989.9 Unspecified substance, chiefly nonmedicinal as to source

----

Can any of you out there report what you've been sending into YOUR insurance

companies as to ICD-9 coding / diagnosis? Allergy does not do this justice,

it's a systemic poisoning as Mold Warriors makes very clear. Interesting also

that most of the items under the 989 heading are classic neurotoxins as

Shoemaker is aware.

--Bill Croft