Endocrine Insider
November 21, 2007

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) recently released its periodic list of new International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) diagnosis codes. A number of these new codes specifically affect endocrinology, and practitioners should immediately alter their billing practices to reflect these changes. The modifications, effective October 1, 2007, have been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), NCHS, the American Hospital Association, and the American Health Information Management Association.

The newly approved ICD-9 diagnosis codes affecting endocrinology include:

255.41 – Glucocorticoid deficiency

255.42 – Mineralocorticoid deficiency

733.45 – Aseptic necrosis of bone, jaw

V18.11 – Family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome

V18.19 – Family history of other endocrine and metabolic diseases

V84.81 – Genetic susceptibility to multiple endocrine neoplasia (MED)

In addition, three ICD-9 codes affecting endocrinology were recently categorized as invalid, and should no longer be used. These include:

255.4 – INVALID – Corticoadrenal insufficiency

258.0 – INVALID – Polyglandular activity in multiple endocrine adenomatosis

V18.1 – INVALID – Family history of other endocrine and metabolic diseases

For additional information on changes to ICD-9 diagnosis codes, please see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd9.htm.