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ICD-10 Coding for Anxiety About Health(F45.21)

Complete ICD-10-CM coding and documentation guide for Anxiety About Health. Includes clinical validation requirements, documentation requirements, and coding pitfalls.

Also known as:

Illness Anxiety DisorderHealth Anxiety

Related ICD-10 Code Ranges

Complete code families applicable to Anxiety About Health

F45.21Primary Range

Illness Anxiety Disorder

This code is used for patients preoccupied with having a serious illness despite minimal or no somatic symptoms.

Other Anxiety Disorders

These codes are used for anxiety disorders that may overlap with or need differentiation from illness anxiety.

Key Information: ICD-10 code for anxiety about health

Essential facts and insights about Anxiety About Health

The ICD-10 code for anxiety about health, also known as Illness Anxiety Disorder, is F45.21.

Primary ICD-10-CM Code for anxiety about health

Illness Anxiety Disorder
Billable Code

Decision Criteria

clinical Criteria

  • Preoccupation with having a serious illness for at least 6 months

documentation Criteria

  • Document absence of significant somatic symptoms

Applicable To

  • Hypochondriasis

Excludes

  • Somatic Symptom Disorder (F45.1)

Clinical Validation Requirements

  • Preoccupation with having a serious illness for at least 6 months
  • Minimal or no somatic symptoms
  • Excessive health-related behaviors or maladaptive avoidance

Code-Specific Risks

  • Misclassification with generalized anxiety disorder
  • Overlooking somatic symptom disorder

Coding Notes

  • Ensure documentation specifies the absence of significant somatic symptoms and the duration of preoccupation.

Ancillary Codes

Additional codes that should be used in conjunction with the main diagnosis codes when applicable.

Health Counseling

Z71.1
Use when excessive medical consultations are part of the patient's behavior.

Differential Codes

Alternative codes to consider when ruling out similar conditions to the primary diagnosis.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

F41.1
Worry extends beyond health to other areas such as finances and relationships.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

F45.1
Focus on existing physical symptoms rather than future illness.

Documentation & Coding Risks

Avoid these common documentation and coding issues when documenting Anxiety About Health to ensure proper reimbursement, maintain compliance, and reduce audit risk. These guidelines are particularly important when using ICD-10 code F45.21.

Impact

Clinical: May lead to misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment., Regulatory: Could trigger audits for insufficient documentation., Financial: Potential for denied claims due to lack of specificity.

Mitigation Strategy

Use structured templates to capture required details., Ensure documentation specifies the duration and focus of anxiety.

Impact

Reimbursement: May lead to incorrect DRG assignment and affect payment., Compliance: Could result in audit flags for incorrect coding., Data Quality: Impacts the accuracy of health records and data analytics.

Mitigation Strategy

Ensure documentation supports the specific focus on health-related anxiety.

Impact

Using unspecified codes when specific criteria for illness anxiety are met.

Mitigation Strategy

Educate clinicians on documentation requirements for F45.21.

Documentation errors, coding pitfalls, and audit risks are interconnected aspects of medical coding and billing. Addressing all three areas helps ensure accurate coding, optimal reimbursement, and regulatory compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ICD-10 coding for Anxiety About Health, with expert answers to help guide accurate code selection and documentation.

Documentation Templates for Anxiety About Health

Use these documentation templates to ensure complete and accurate documentation for Anxiety About Health. These templates include all required elements for proper coding and billing.

Patient with persistent health anxiety

Specialty: Psychiatry

Required Elements

  • Chief Complaint
  • History of Present Illness
  • Review of Systems
  • Physical Exam

Examples: Poor vs. Good Documentation

Poor Documentation Example
Patient worried about health.
Good Documentation Example
Patient reports 7-month preoccupation with undiagnosed heart disease despite normal EKG, stress test, and cardiac MRI.
Explanation
The good example specifies the duration, specific illness concern, and negative test results.

Need help with ICD-10 coding for Anxiety About Health? Ask your questions below.

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