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ICD-10 Coding for Excessive Sleepiness(R40.0, G47.11, G47.33, Z72.820)

Complete ICD-10-CM coding and documentation guide for Excessive Sleepiness. Includes clinical validation requirements, documentation requirements, and coding pitfalls.

Also known as:

Excessive Daytime SleepinessHypersomnia

Related ICD-10 Code Ranges

Complete code families applicable to Excessive Sleepiness

Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior

Includes symptom codes like R40.0 for excessive daytime sleepiness before a formal diagnosis.

G47Primary Range

Sleep disorders

Includes specific sleep disorder codes like G47.11 for idiopathic hypersomnia and G47.33 for obstructive sleep apnea.

Problems related to lifestyle

Includes codes like Z72.820 for sleep deprivation, which may be used as ancillary codes.

Code Comparison: When to Use Each Code

Compare key differences between these codes to ensure accurate selection

CodeDescriptionWhen to UseKey Documentation
R40.0SomnolenceUse when excessive sleepiness is present without a confirmed diagnosis.
  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale score ≥10
G47.11Idiopathic hypersomnia with long sleep timeUse when idiopathic hypersomnia is confirmed by sleep study results.
  • MSLT ≤8 minutes
  • Symptoms persisting for ≥3 months
  • Exclusion of OSA and narcolepsy
G47.33Obstructive sleep apnea (adult) (pediatric)Use when obstructive sleep apnea is confirmed by polysomnography.
  • AHI ≥5
  • Witnessed apneas
  • BMI ≥30
Z72.820Sleep deprivationUse as an ancillary code when sleep deprivation is a contributing factor.
  • Self-reported <6 hours of sleep per night

Clinical Decision Support

Always review the patient's clinical documentation thoroughly. When in doubt, choose the more specific code and ensure documentation supports it.

Key Information: ICD-10 code for excessive sleepiness

Essential facts and insights about Excessive Sleepiness

The ICD-10 code for excessive sleepiness is R40.0 for symptoms, G47.11 for idiopathic hypersomnia, and G47.33 for obstructive sleep apnea.

Primary ICD-10-CM Codes for excessive sleepiness

Somnolence
Billable Code

Decision Criteria

clinical Criteria

  • Presence of excessive sleepiness without a specific diagnosis.

Applicable To

  • Excessive daytime sleepiness

Excludes

  • Sleep disorders (G47.-)

Clinical Validation Requirements

  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale score ≥10

Code-Specific Risks

  • May be overused if not replaced by a definitive diagnosis code after testing.

Coding Notes

  • R40.0 is often a temporary code until a specific sleep disorder is diagnosed.

Ancillary Codes

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

Sleep hygiene

Z72.821
Use when poor sleep hygiene is a contributing factor.

Obesity, unspecified

E66.9
Use when obesity is a contributing factor.

Differential Codes

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

Idiopathic hypersomnia

G47.11
Confirmed by MSLT with mean sleep latency ≤8 minutes and exclusion of other causes.

Obstructive sleep apnea (adult) (pediatric)

G47.33
Confirmed by AHI ≥5 on polysomnography.

Documentation & Coding Risks

Avoid these common documentation and coding issues when documenting Excessive Sleepiness to ensure proper reimbursement, maintain compliance, and reduce audit risk. These guidelines are particularly important when using ICD-10 code R40.0.

Impact

Clinical: May lead to misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment., Regulatory: Non-compliance with documentation standards., Financial: Potential for denied claims due to insufficient documentation.

Mitigation Strategy

Use standardized scales like the Epworth Sleepiness Scale., Document specific sleep study results.

Impact

Reimbursement: May lead to incorrect reimbursement rates., Compliance: Non-compliance with coding guidelines., Data Quality: Decreases accuracy of patient records.

Mitigation Strategy

Replace R40.0 with the specific diagnosis code once confirmed.

Impact

Failure to document detailed sleep study results can lead to audit issues.

Mitigation Strategy

Ensure all relevant test results are included in patient records.

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 Excessive Sleepiness, with expert answers to help guide accurate code selection and documentation.

Documentation Templates for Excessive Sleepiness

Use these documentation templates to ensure complete and accurate documentation for Excessive Sleepiness. These templates include all required elements for proper coding and billing.

Neurology Progress Note

Specialty: Neurology

Required Elements

  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale score
  • Polysomnography results
  • MSLT results
  • Exclusion of other conditions

Example Documentation

ASSESSMENT: 1. Excessive daytime sleepiness (R40.0) - Epworth 18/24 - 6-month history of daily unintended naps - PSG: TST 420 min, AHI 1.8 - MSLT: Mean latency 5.3 min, 0 SOREMPs - TSH 2.1 mIU/L, ferritin 65 ng/mL 2. Rule out: Central hypersomnia vs idiopathic hypersomnia PLAN: - Order CSF hypocretin testing to exclude narcolepsy type 1 - Initiate modafinil trial with sleep hygiene counseling (Z72.821)

Examples: Poor vs. Good Documentation

Poor Documentation Example
Patient feels tired.
Good Documentation Example
Patient reports daily Epworth 16/24 score with 3+ unintended sleep episodes during sedentary activities.
Explanation
The good example provides specific, quantifiable data that supports the diagnosis.

Need help with ICD-10 coding for Excessive Sleepiness? Ask your questions below.

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