If you’re hungry for a new crop of diagnosis codes, you may be in luck this October, assuming the newly-proposed diagnosis codes become actual, finalized new ICD-10-CM codes.
Background: On April 10, CMS released the FY2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule for 2025, and tucked within the rule was a file sharing the deleted, revised and new ICD-10-CM codes that the agency is considering for Oct. 1 implementation.
Read on to check out some of the updates you’ll find as part of the new ICD-10-CM codes proposal for 2025.
36 Codes Are Proposed to Be Deleted
CMS aims to streamline the ICD-10-CM code set by proposing the deletion of a wide range of codes, most of which will be replaced with new, more accurate options. For instance, the agency is considering deleting E34.0 (Carcinoid syndrome) from your diagnosis coding options, but proposes that coders will instead choose from a code in the E34.00 (Carcinoid syndrome, unspecified) range for this condition.
Other deleted codes are in categories including anorexia nervosa, obesity, lymphoma, fistulas and more.
CMS Proposes 250 New ICD-10-CM Codes
You’ll find new diagnosis codes proposed for almost every section of the ICD-10-CM code set, including 63 in neoplasms, 27 in the digestive diseases section, 33 in the musculoskeletal section and 30 in the injury, poisoning and other external causes section.
Among the most robust additions that CMS has proposed include big changes to the eating disorder section, including the following new codes:
- F50.20 (Bulimia nervosa, unspecified)
- F50.21 (Bulimia nervosa, mild)
- F50.22 (Bulimia nervosa, moderate)
- F50.23 (Bulimia nervosa, severe)
- F50.24 (Bulimia nervosa, extreme)
- F50.25 (Bulimia nervosa, in remission)
These would replace the more general F50.2 so the provider could accurately describe how severe the patient’s bulimia is. Similar codes would be rolled out for anorexia nervosa.
The agency has also proposed new codes for hypoglycemia that specify the level, such as E16.A1 (Hypoglycemia level 1), better allowing practices to share the patient’s glucose concentration with payers.
Social Determinants of Health Codes to Get a Makeover
Another big change in the proposal would shift the severity designation for the codes describing inadequate housing and housing instability. Whereas these codes are currently designated as “non-complication or comorbidity,” that would change, and they’d be considered a complication or comorbidity.
How this may affect you: If you use these Z codes as tertiary diagnoses, you could get paid more if these become considered complications or comorbidities.
The finalized ICD-10-CM codes for 2025 are expected to be released this summer. Keep an eye on the Healthcare Training Leader website for more updates on the codes that will take effect on October 1.
The best way you can prepare for the new ICD-10-CM codes is to get a firm handle on how to apply every diagnosis code in the manual. Coding expert Kim Huey, MJ, CHC, CPC, CCS-P, PCS, CPCO can help during her online training, ICD-10-CM Made Simple: Coding Structure, Nomenclature and Vocabulary. Register today!
Check out our Coding and Billing Playlist on YouTube for the latest expert advice, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for step-by-step guidance!
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