In a world of uncertainty, one thing medical coders can count on is ICD-10-CM yearly updates.
It’s already that time of year again when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases the ICD-10-CM code update for next year. Familiarizing yourself with the changes that go into effect Oct. 1 will help you capture the proper and most specific diagnosis codes for patients’ conditions.
There are currently 71,932 ICD-10-CM codes, but next month we’ll have 72,184, which includes 273 additions, 21 deletions, and 30 revisions. Many of the deletions made were to allow for more specific codes to be added. Review the changes, additions, and deletions:
| Revised | Deleted | Added |
| B96.21– B96.23: The parentheses are changed to brackets. |
D75.A Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency without anemia | |
| D81.3 | D81.30 Adenosine deaminase deficiency, unspecified | |
| D81.31 Severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase deficiency | ||
| D81.32 Adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency | ||
| D81.39 Other adenosine deaminase deficiency | ||
| G43.40-G43.41 “In migraine” verbiage is added |
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| H81.41 Vertigo of central origin, right ear
H81.42 Vertigo of central origin, left ear H81.43 Vertigo of central origin, bilateral H81.49 Vertigo of central origin, unspecified ear |
H81.4 Vertigo of central origin | |
| I26.93 Single subsegmental pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale | ||
| I26.94 Multiple subsegmental pulmonary emboli with acute cor pulmonale | ||
| I48.1 | I48.11 Longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation | |
| I48.19 Other persistent atrial fibrillation | ||
| I48.2 | I48.20 Chronic atrial fibrillation, unspecified | |
| I48.21 Permanent atrial fibrillation | ||
| I70.238: “Right” is removed due to redundancy.I70.248: “Left” is removed due to redundancy |
I80.241 – I80.249: Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of peroneal vein | |
| I80.251 – I80.259: Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of calf muscular vein | ||
| I82.451 – I82.459: Acute embolism and thrombosis peroneal vein | ||
| I82.461 – I82.469: Acute embolism and thrombosis calf muscular vein | ||
| I82.551 – I82.559: Chronic embolism and thrombosis of peroneal vein | ||
| I82.561 – I82.569: Chronic embolism and thrombosis calf muscular vein | ||
| J44.0: Parentheses is added to the word “acute.” |
L89.006 – L89.96: Pressure-induced deep tissue damage of elbow, back, buttock, hip, ankle, heel, other site, or unspecified site | |
| M50.120–N35.814: Check the individual codes for their various verbiage revisions. |
N63.15 Unspecified lump in the right breast, overlapping quadrants | |
| N63.25 Unspecified lump in the left breast, overlapping quadrants | ||
| N99.85 Post endometrial ablation syndrome | ||
| Q66.00 | Q66.00 Congenital talipes equinovarus, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.01 Congenital talipes equinovarus, right foot | ||
| Q66.02 Congenital talipes equinovarus, left foot | ||
| Q66.1 | Q66.10 Congenital talipes calcaneovarus, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.11 Congenital talipes calcaneovarus, right foot | ||
| Q66.12 Congenital talipes calcaneovarus, left foot | ||
| Q66.21 | Q66.211 Congenital metatarsus primus varus, right foot | |
| Q66.212 Congenital metatarsus primus varus, left foot | ||
| Q66.219 Congenital metatarsus primus varus, unspecified foot | ||
| Q66.22 | Q66.221 Congenital metatarsus adductus, right foot | |
| Q66.222 Congenital metatarsus adductus, left foot | ||
| Q66.229 Congenital metatarsus adductus, unspecified foot | ||
| Q66.3 | Q66.30 Other congenital varus deformities of feet, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.31 Other congenital varus deformities of feet, right foot | ||
| Q66.32 Other congenital varus deformities of feet, left foot | ||
| Q66.4 | Q66.40 Congenital talipes calcaneovalgus, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.41 Congenital talipes calcaneovalgus, right foot | ||
| Q66.42 Congenital talipes calcaneovalgus, left foot | ||
| Q66.7 | Q66.70 Congenital pes cavus, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.71 Congenital pes cavus, right foot | ||
| Q66.72 Congenital pes cavus, left foot | ||
| Q66.9 | Q66.90 Congenital deformity of feet, unspecified, unspecified foot | |
| Q66.91 Congenital deformity of feet, unspecified, right foot | ||
| Q66.92 Congenital deformity of feet, unspecified, left foot | ||
| Q79.6 | Q79.60 Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, unspecified | |
| Q79.61 Classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome | ||
| Q79.62 Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome | ||
| Q79.63 Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome | ||
| Q79.69 Other Ehlers-Danlos syndromes | ||
| Q87.1 | Q87.11 Prader-Willi syndrome | |
| Q87.19 Other congenital malformation syndromes predominately associated with short stature | ||
| R11.15 Cyclical vomiting syndrome unrelated to migraine | ||
| R82.8 | R82.81 Pyuria | |
| R82.89 Other abnormal findings on cytological and histological examination of urine | ||
| R82.993: The spelling of “Hyperuricosuria” is corrected. | S02.121A – S02.129S: Fracture of orbital roof | |
| S02.831A – S02.849S: Fracture of orbital wall | ||
| S02.85XA – S02.85XS: Fracture of orbit, unspecified | ||
| T40.906A – T40.996S: [hallucinogens] is added to the descriptions.
T44.1X6A – T44.1X6S: [cholinergics] is added to the descriptions. |
T50.911A – T50.916S: Multiple codes are added for poisoning, adverse effect, and underdosing. | |
| T67.0XXA | T67.01XA Heatstroke and sunstroke, initial encounter | |
| T67.0XXD | T67.01XD Heatstroke and sunstroke, subsequent encounter | |
| T67.0XXS | T67.01XS Heatstroke and sunstroke, sequela | |
| T67.02XA Exertional heatstroke, initial encounter | ||
| T67.02XD Exertional heatstroke, subsequent encounter | ||
| T67.02XS Exertional heatstroke, sequela | ||
| V43.13XA – V43.13XS: The descriptions are changed to include the word “truck.” | T67.09XA Other heatstroke and sunstroke, initial encounter | |
| T67.09XD Other heatstroke and sunstroke, subsequent encounter | ||
| T67.09XS Other heatstroke and sunstroke, sequela | ||
| Y35.009A – Y35.99XS: Numerous codes are added for injuries involving Legal intervention. | ||
| Z01.020 Encounter for examination of eyes and vision following failed vision screening without abnormal findings | ||
| Z01.021 Encounter for examination of eyes and vision following failed vision screening with abnormal findings | ||
| Z11.7 Encounter for testing for latent tuberculosis infection | ||
| Z22.7 Latent tuberculosis | ||
| Z45.42: “Neuropacemaker” is changed to “neurostimulator” and brain, peripheral nerve, and spinal cord are removed.
Z68.43: Body mass index of 50 changes to 50.0. |
Z71.84 Encounter for health counseling relating to travel | |
| Z86.002 Personal history of in-situ neoplasm of other and unspecified genital organs | ||
| Z86.003 Personal history of in-situ neoplasm of oral cavity, esophagus and stomach | ||
| Z86.004 Personal history of in-situ neoplasm of other and unspecified digestive organs | ||
| Z86.005 Personal history of in-situ neoplasm of middle ear and respiratory system | ||
| Z86.006 Personal history of melanoma in-situ | ||
| Z86.007 Personal history of in-situ neoplasm of skin | ||
| Z86.15 Personal history of latent tuberculosis infection | ||
| Z96.82 Presence of neurostimulator |
To understand the rationales for these ICD-10-CM code set updates, read the accompanying sidebar “New ICD-10-CM Code Rationales.”
Download the FY 2020 release of ICD-10-CM.
About the author:
Jean R. Pryor, CPMA, CPC, CPB, CPC-I, CRC, CIMC, CCS-P, CHAP, AAPC Fellow, is the administrator of coding and education at St. Elizabeth Physicians. She has more than 34 years of medical coding and billing experience, and she has been a CPC since 1994. Pryor was a master coder and auditor reviewing Medicare Advantage data for hierarchical condition categories, Risk Adjustment Processing System, secondary payments, and duplicate payment activities. She is a member of Cigna Government Services Provider Outreach Education Advisory Group. Pryor is the president of the Northern Kentucky local chapter and is Region 6 representative of the AAPC National Advisory Board.