Tobacco.org

ICD-9 Project 

The ICD-9 Project, also known as the "ICD-9 CM Issue," was an internal Philip Morris project to impede the creation of a medical billing code that would indicate illnesses that are attributable to secondhand tobacco smoke exposure. . . .

* The Proposal to Include Secondary Tobacco Smoke as an External Causative Agent, by Thorne Auchter of Philip Morris contractor Multinational Business Services, March 8, 1994, Bates No. 2046073521/3523] Memo to Mayada Logue of Philip Morris describing the ICD-9 situation and steps MBS had take to hinder creation of the code. . . .

Abstract: A new medical diagnostic code for secondhand smoke was created in 1994, but as of 2004 remained an invalid entry on a common medical form. The process for creating and utilizing medical codes is open to influence by lobbyists with undisclosed private industry clients. Tobacco industry documents reveal that Philip Morris budgeted over $2 million for an “ICD-9 Project” in the mid-1990s. Tactics to prevent adoption of the new code included third-party lobbying, Paperwork Reduction Act challenges, and backing an alternative coding system. A secondhand smoke code should be allowed on the Medicare form, and physicians should be made aware of its utilization within the new ICD-10 coding system.

Jump to full article »