How does UB-04 handle secondary diagnoses differently from primary?

• A. They are reported before the principal diagnosis with pointers
• B. They are not reported on UB-04
• C. They are reported after the principal diagnosis with pointers
• D. They replace the principal diagnosis

Answer: (C)

On UB-04, the main diagnosis that started the patient’s stay is listed first. All secondary diagnoses are placed in the subsequent diagnosis fields, and each secondary code is linked back to the appropriate diagnosis field using Diagnosis Pointers. This setup keeps the principal diagnosis as the primary reason for admission while still capturing other conditions that were present or affected care. The pointers are what connect each secondary code to its corresponding place on the form, making the relationships explicit for accurate coding and billing.

So, secondary diagnoses are reported after the principal diagnosis with pointers, not before, not omitted, and they do not replace the principal diagnosis.