guideline for timeframe on stroke to be considered history code V12.54

Does anyone know when a stroke (with no residual effects) is no longer considered acute as far as coding the follow up visits in the doctor's office setting? The patient is currently on medications for this condition. The definition of personal history in ICD-9 is a medical condition that no longer exists and is not reveiving any treatment. If the patient is on medication and my doc is seeing the patient for this condition I believe I use the active condition code.

re: guideline for timeframe on stroke to be considered history code V12.54

This is located in the ICD9 coding guidelines which can be found on the internet or in the front of the ICD9 book.

There are two types of history V codes, personal and family. Personal history codes explain a patient’s past medical condition that no longer exists and is not receiving any treatment, but that has the potential for recurrence, and therefore may require continued monitoring. The exceptions to this general rule are category V14, Personal history of allergy to medicinal agents, and subcategory V15.0, Allergy, other than to medicinal agents. A person who has had an allergic episode to a substance or food in the past should always be considered allergic to the substance.

Family history codes are for use when a patient has a family member(s) who has had a particular disease that causes the patient to be at higher risk of also contracting the disease.

Personal history codes may be used in conjunction with follow-up codes and family history codes may be used in conjunction with screening codes to explain the need for a test or procedure. History codes are also acceptable on any medical record regardless of the reason for visit. A history of an illness, even if no longer present, is important information that may alter the type of treatment ordered.