Follow-Up Questions: Helping Others Like Bill

In reviewing the Z codes that coders at your home health agency apply to patient files, you discover the following are used most often:

• Z56.0 Unemployment, unspecified
• Z59.12 Inadequate housing utilities
• Z59.41 Food insecurity
• Z59.6 Low income

In fact, over time, you notice Z59.41 Food insecurity is an issue even when PTs, home health aides, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), and others give patients a phone number for the local food bank.

Your agency decides to set up an emergency fund so your staff can easily help patients buy food, get their lights turned back on, and pay for emergency items. This is a more intensive application of Assistance as a strategy.