Name of Manual - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Weight Management
Care (continued)
Diagnosis Codes
Coding Policies and Guidelines (Medical Services)
The physician determines if the patient meets the criteria to be
classified as obese. If the patient meets those criteria, two specific
obesity diagnosis codes may be used:
1. 278.00 Obesity, Unspecified
2. 278.01 Morbid Obesity
In addition to the two specific obesity codes, the provider may also
bill for obesity or weight management counseling with routine
diagnosis codes such as:
1. V65.3 Dietary Surveillance and Counseling
2. V70.0 Routine General Medical Examination at a Health Care
Facility.
The obesity diagnosis codes of 278.00. 278.01 and code V65.3 will
cause claims to pay according to the illness portion of the patient’s
contract. All Blue Cross contracts have benefits for illness-related
services. If the claim is submitted with a routine medical exam
code of V70.0, it will pay based on the routine benefits, if any, are
provided by the patient’s contract. Some contracts exclude routine
benefits.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Provider Policy and Procedure Manual (06/20/12)
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