The 2024 ICD-10-CM codes — which took effect on Oct. 1 —include nearly 450 changes, with many of the new codes slotted into chapter 20, which describes external causes of illness or injury. While not all payers require the use of these codes, they can absolutely help you paint a clearer picture of why a service was performed — and therefore lead to faster claim approvals.
Get to know four new ICD-10-CM code categories that describe external causes for 2024.
1. Battery in Patient’s Orifice
Foreign bodies can enter through natural orifices, like the mouth, nose and ears. This situation can cause irritation (such as a bead in the ear or nose). However, other types of foreign bodies can have significant morbidity or mortality.
For instance, button batteries can result in rapid caustic tissue injury, with both acute and chronic complications. In fact, nearly 13 percent of kids below the age of five who swallowed a button battery experienced a major complication. Previously, ICD-10-CM didn’t provide coders with a specific way to identify these more serious types of foreign bodies entering into or through a natural orifice, so the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) requested new codes including those listed below:
- W44.A0: Battery unspecified, entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.A1: Button battery entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.A9: Other batteries entering into or through a natural orifice
Be aware of the differences between a standard battery and a button battery, since ICD-10-CM makes a differentiation in your coding options.
2. Plastic and Glass in Patient Orifice
The AAP didn’t stop after requesting codes for button batteries entering through a natural orifice, with several other additional categories joining ICD-10-CM as well.
You’ll find the following new codes, among others, for plastic and glass foreign bodies:
- W44.B1: Plastic bead entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.B3: Plastic toy and toy part entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.B5: Plastic bottle entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.C1: Sharp glass entering into or through a natural orifice
- W44.C2: Intact glass entering into or through a natural orifice
Plastic toys and beads made of either plastic or glass are among the more common items that children insert into their mouths, noses and ears, so the new codes will definitely help supplement claims for providers who treat young patients.
3. Metal Objects Entering a Patient’s Orifice
When adding new codes to describe metal objects inserted into a patient’s orifice, ICD-10-CM will now differentiate between magnetic (W44.D0-W44.D9) and non-magnetic metal (W44.E0-W44.E9).
Why this is important: If the patient swallowed a metal object that’s magnetic, the provider will want to avoid performing an MRI, so it’s imperative to know whether an item in the body has magnetic pull or not.
4. New Codes for Ultra-Specific Objects in Orifice
The new ICD-10-CM manual also gets specific about additional foreign objects entering the patient’s body through a natural orifice, such as combination metal and plastic jewelry (W44.G3) and knives or daggers (W44.H2), so consult the full listing of new ICD-10-CM codes when your patients swallow a foreign object or insert one into another natural orifice.
Keep in mind that all of the new codes described above refer to items inserted into a natural orifice, and not to items that punctured the skin. Therefore, if a dagger, knife or piece of glass enters the patient’s skin, you will not report one of these new codes — you’ll instead find a code that better suits that situation.
There are many more new ICD-10-CM codes to master if you want your claims to be approved swiftly in 2024. Coding expert Kim Huey, MJ, CHC, CPC, CCS-P, PCS, CPCO, can walk you through the changes during her one-hour online training, New 2024 ICD-10-CM Codes. Register today!
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