Question

multiple choice question

______ are used around descriptions that do not affect the code.

quotation marks
parentheses
colons
brackets

Explanation:

Identify the punctuation rule in medical coding

Using the ICD-10 Punctuation Rules knowledge point

• Parentheses ( ) are used in both the Alphabetic Index and Tabular List to enclose supplementary words (nonessential modifiers) that may be present or absent in the statement of a disease or procedure without affecting the code number to which it is assigned.
• Brackets [ ] are used to enclose synonyms, alternative wording, or explanatory phrases.
• Colons : are used in the Tabular List after an incomplete term which needs one or more of the modifiers that follow in order to make it assignable to a given category.
• Quotation marks are not standard structural punctuation symbols used to define nonessential modifiers in ICD-10-CM.

Therefore, parentheses are used around descriptions (nonessential modifiers) that do not affect the code.

Answer:

• Quotation marks
• Parentheses (Correct answer)
• Colons
• Brackets