Knowledge Base Article

Did You Know?

On January 11, 2023 CMS updated their 2023 ICD-10-CM and PCS webpages to provide information about the new codes that will be effective April 1, 2023. You can read more about the codes in a related MMP article ( https://www.mmplusinc.com/kb-articles/new-icd-10-cm-and-icd-10-pcs-codes-effective-april-1-2023).

Why Should I Care?

In addition to new diagnosis codes, the FY 2023 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting has been updated to include new guidance regarding Social Determinants of Health (SDOH).

Specifically, new guidance clarifying when to assign a code for living alone, food insecurity and homelessness, has been added to guidelines for SDOHs in Chapter 21 of the Chapter-Specific Guidelines, Section b.17.  Following is a compare of the June 2022 guidance to the January 11, 2023 guidance.

Excerpt from June 2022 Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (https://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/Publications/ICD10CM/2023/ICD-10-CM-Guidelines-FY2023.pdf)

Codes describing problems or risk factors related to social determinants of health (SDOH) should be assigned when this information is documented. Assign as many SDOH codes as are necessary to describe all of the problems or risk factors. These codes should be assigned only when the documentation specifies that the patient has an associated problem or risk factor. For example, not every individual living alone would be assigned code Z60.2, Problems related to living alone.

For social determinants of health, such as information found in categories Z55-Z65, Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances, code assignment may be based on medical record documentation from clinicians involved in the care of the patient who are not the patient’s provider since this information represents social information, rather than medical diagnoses. For example, coding professionals may utilize documentation of social information from social workers, community health workers, case managers, or nurses, if their documentation is included in the official medical record.

Patient self-reported documentation may be used to assign codes for social determinants of health, as long as the patient self-reported information is signed-off by and incorporated into the medical record by either a clinician or provider.

Excerpt from January 2023 Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting

(https://www.cms.gov/files/document/fy-2023-icd-10-cm-coding-guidelines-updated-01/11/2023.pdf)

Social determinants of health (SDOH) codes describing social problems, conditions, or risk factors that influence a patient’s health should be assigned when this information is documented in the patient’s medical record. Assign as many SDOH codes as are necessary to describe all of the social problems, conditions, or risk factors documented during the current episode of care. For example, a patient who lives alone may suffer an acute injury temporarily impacting their ability to perform routine activities of daily living.

When documented as such, this would support assignment of code Z60.2, Problems related to living alone. However, merely living alone, without documentation of a risk or unmet need for assistance at home, would not support assignment of code Z60.2. Documentation by a clinician (or patient-reported information that is signed off by a clinician) that the patient expressed concerns with access and availability of food would support assignment of code Z59.41, Food insecurity. Similarly, medical record documentation indicating the patient is homeless would support assignment of a code from subcategory Z59.0-, Homelessness.

For social determinants of health, such as information found in categories Z55-Z65, Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances, code assignment may be based on medical record documentation from clinicians involved in the care of the patient who are not the patient’s provider since this information represents social information, rather than medical diagnoses. For example, coding professionals may utilize documentation of social information from social workers, community health workers, case managers, or nurses, if their documentation is included in the official medical record.

Patient self-reported documentation may be used to assign codes for social determinants of health, as long as the patient self-reported information is signed-off by and incorporated into the medical record by either a clinician or provider.

The files containing information on the ICD-10-CM updates effective with discharges on and after April 1, 2023 are available on the CMS ICD-10-CM webpage (https://www.cms.gov/medicare/icd-10/2023-icd-10-cm) and the CDC’s Comprehensive Listing ICD-10-CM Files webpage (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/Comprehensive-Listing-of-ICD-10-CM-Files.htm).

What Can I Do?