If a condition is described as impending but does not occur, how should it be treated?

Treating a condition described as impending but not actually occurring is best categorized as "no coding is necessary." In medical coding, only conditions that are confirmed or actively present require coding. An "impending" condition conveys a risk or likelihood of occurrence but does not indicate that the condition has developed or is currently affecting the patient.

In coding practices, it is crucial to differentiate between conditions that require reporting for statistical and billing purposes and those that are merely anticipated or predicted. Therefore, when a condition is classified as impending without having manifested, it falls outside the scope of what needs to be recorded in patient health records or claims, making no coding necessary for that specific situation.