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FY 2019 ICD-10-CM Code Updates

Published on 

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

 | Coding 

Although the official start of summer is not until tomorrow at 5:07 AM Central Time, here in Alabama the oppressive humidity and heat activated thunderstorms have already begun. Additionally, and much to my delight, I am already seeing more lightening bugs in the night sky than in recent years. This brings to mind the oft made statement by Mark Twain, “the difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. ‘tis the difference between the lightening bug and the lightening.”

The same analogy can be made for documentation in a medical record. CMS posted the FY 2019 ICD-10-CM diagnosis code updates to the CMS website on June 11, 2018. Several of the updates revise or expand a code description. Professional Coders and Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists should take on the challenge of a little summer reading to find out what is changing. In the meantime, here are a few highlights about what will change come October 1, 2018.

Code Changes by the Numbers:

The FY 2019 ICD-10-CM codes updates includes:

  • 279 New Codes
  • 143 Revised Titles
  • 51 Deleted Codes
  • 71,932 Total Codes for FY 2019. (Increase from 71,704 in FY 2018).

The following tables highlights some of the changes come October 1, 2018.

Code ChangeCodeCode Description
AddF1223Cannabis dependence with withdrawal
AddF1293Cannabis use, unspecified with withdrawal
DeleteF53Puerperal psychosis
AddF530Postpartum depression
AddF531Puerperal psychosis
AddT43641APoisoning by ecstasy, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
AddT43641DPoisoning by ecstasy, accidental (unintentional), subsequent encounter
AddT43641SPoisoning by ecstasy, accidental (unintentional), sequela
AddT43642APoisoning by ecstasy, intentional self-harm, initial encounter
AddT43642DPoisoning by ecstasy, intentional self-harm, subsequent encounter
AddT43642SPoisoning by ecstasy, intentional self-harm, sequela
AddT43643APoisoning by ecstasy, assault, initial encounter
AddT43643DPoisoning by ecstasy, assault, subsequent encounter
AddT43643SPoisoning by ecstasy, assault, sequela
AddT43644APoisoning by ecstasy, undetermined, initial encounter
AddT43644DPoisoning by ecstasy, undetermined, subsequent encounter
AddT43644SPoisoning by ecstasy, undetermined, sequela
No ChangeA92.5Zika Virus
AddP35.4Congenital Zika virus disease
AddZ20821Contact with and (suspected) exposure to Zika virus
AddZ2883Immunization not carried out due to unavailability of vaccine
AddZ62813Personal history of forced labor or sexual exploitation in childhood(*)

(*)Note, code Z62813 falls within the Z62 category “Problems Related to Upbringing.” This is one of the ICD-10-CM code categories that identifies patients with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances. Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS, First Quarter 2018 advised that it would be acceptable to report these codes based on documentation from non-physician clinicians following the patient. You can read more about the Z55-Z65 code categories in a related MMP article about Social Determinants of Health.

Information about the FY 2019 ICD-10-CM code updates can also be found on the Centered for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd10cm.htm. Reminder, the code updates will be used for discharges occurring from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.

Article Author: Beth Cobb, RN, BSN, ACM, CCDS
Beth Cobb, RN, BSN, ACM, CCDS, is the Manager of Clinical Analytics at Medical Management Plus, Inc. Beth has over twenty-five years of experience in healthcare including eleven years in Case Management at a large multi-facility health system. In her current position, Beth is a principle writer for MMP’s Wednesday@One weekly e-newsletter, an active member of our HIPAA Compliance Committee, MMP’s Education Department Program Director and co-developer of MMP’s proprietary Compliance Protection Assessment Tool.

This material was compiled to share information.  MMP, Inc. is not offering legal advice. Every reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the information is accurate and useful.