For a patient with anemia due to chronic kidney disease, which codes in what order should be used?

The correct choice involves coding for anemia resulting from chronic kidney disease (CKD) with a clear distinction in how conditions are prioritized in the coding sequence.

In this case, the code for chronic kidney disease, N18, should come first because the CKD is the underlying condition that contributes to the development of anemia. Anemia, coded as D63.1 in this context, is a secondary condition resulting from the CKD. Thus, placing N18 before D63.1 accurately reflects the hierarchy of the conditions – the CKD is the primary diagnosis providing the context for the anemia.

This reflects proper coding guidelines that state when coding multiple conditions, the condition that is responsible for the other should be sequenced first. As a result, the combination of N18 for the chronic kidney disease followed by D63.1 for anemia due to CKD effectively communicates the clinical picture.

In contrast, the other choices misplace the order or do not accurately reflect the cause-and-effect relationship between CKD and anemia. Therefore, A is the most appropriate selection for coding this scenario involving these diagnoses.