Where are secondary diagnoses reported relative to the principal diagnosis?

• A. After the principal diagnosis with pointers
• B. Before the principal diagnosis
• C. In the patient demographics section
• D. Not reported

Answer: (A)

On a UB-04 claim, the principal diagnosis is the main reason for admission, and all other diagnosed conditions are listed after it as secondary diagnoses. These secondary diagnoses are added in the subsequent diagnosis fields, and pointers are used to show how each secondary code relates to the principal diagnosis (and to other codes if needed). This ordering makes it clear what the primary condition was and what other health issues were present during the stay, which can affect payment and clinical interpretation. They are not placed in the demographics section, they are not reported before the principal diagnosis, and they are indeed reported.