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Diagnosis codes for post-COVID-19, new social determinants of health go into effect Oct. 1 (Updated)

Practices will have a new ICD-10-CM code to report for post COVID-19 cases (sometimes known as long-haul COVID) starting Oct. 1.
 
Code U09.9 (Post COVID-19 condition, unspecified) is one of numerous new diagnosis codes unveiled today in the final version of the FY 2022 ICD-10-CM code set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
Originally issued earlier this year by the World Health Organization, code U09.9 will enable providers to establish a coding link between the coronavirus and lingering symptoms after the virus is no longer active, according to inclusion notes released in the tabular addenda for the update.
 
Providers should list U09.9 secondary to specific codes for lingering conditions such as chronic respiratory failure (J96.1-), loss of smell (R43.8), loss of taste (R43.8), multisystem inflammatory syndrome (M35.81), pulmonary embolism (I26.-) and pulmonary fibrosis (J84.10), according to new tabular instructions for the code.
 
The code is not to be reported for active COVID cases, except when there is a re-infection that occurs with a condition related to prior COVID-19.
 
In addition to the 159 new codes, this update also includes 20 revised codes and 32 codes deemed invalid. Most of the proposals were finalized in this update.
 
Also new in the final code set:
  • New codes for traumatic brain compression without herniation (S06.A0-) and with herniation (S06.A1-).
  • 13 new social determinants of health. You’ll find new codes for Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances (Z55-Z65), also known as the social determinants of health codes. These additions were discussed during the ICD-10 Coordination and Maintenance Committee Meeting March 9-10, but were not included in the list of proposed codes released April 27 (PBN Blog 4/28/2021). The new codes address issues such as education, homelessness and housing instability. For example, Z55.5 (Less than a high school diploma), Z59.01 (Sheltered homelessness) and Z59.81 (Housing instability, housed). In addition, Z59.4 (Lack of adequate food and safe drinking water) is revised to Lack of adequate food. A new code describes problems with access to drinking water: Z58.6 (Inadequate drinking-water supply).
  • Coders will also find more than a dozen new codes that describe poisonings, adverse effects and underdosing for synthetic cannabinoids. For example, T40.721A (Poisoning by synthetic cannabinoids, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter) and T40.725A (Adverse effect of synthetic cannabinoids, initial encounter).
  • The final update also includes eight new codes to further capture irritant contact dermatitis including L24.A1 (Irritant contact dermatitis due to saliva) and L24.B0 (Irritant contact dermatitis related to unspecified stoma or fistula).
Related link: To view the final code update, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p4c4u53
 
Update
 
Final FY2022 ICD-10-CM changes by chapter
The following chart provides an overview of the changes to the ICD-10-CM code set that will go into effect Oct. 1. Check the addendum file for details on the additions, revisions and deletions to the indexes, tables and tabular list (Zip file). Watch for reporting on the new guidelines in August.
ICD-10-CM chapter
New
Revised
Invalid
Chapter 1: Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
1
0
0
Chapter 2: Neoplasms (C00-D49)
3
0
0
Chapter 3: Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89)
5
0
1
Chapter 4: Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E89)
1
0
0
Chapter 5: Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99)
3
0
1
Chapter 6: Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99)
10
1
1
Chapter 7: Diseases of the eye and adnexa (H00-H59)
0
0
0
Chapter 8: Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60-H95)
0
0
0
Chapter 9: Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
1
0
0
Chapter 10: Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
0
0
0
Chapter 11: Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K95)
13
0
1
Chapter 12: Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)
8
0
0
Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
23
6
2
Chapter 14: Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99)
0
0
0
Chapter 15: Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
0
0
0
Chapter 16: Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)
9
0
1
Chapter 17: Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
0
0
0
Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)
14
0
3
Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
45
12
18
Chapter 20: External causes of morbidity (V00-Y99)
3
0
0
Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services (Z00-Z99)
19
1
4
Chapter 22: Codes for special purposes (U00-U85)
1
0
0
Total
159
20
32
Source: DecisionHealth analysis of the CDC file ICD-10-CM codes addenda 2022 (Zip file).
 
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