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ICD-10-CM 2024 Updates: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know? PART – 1

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, staying informed about crucial updates is paramount for healthcare professionals. We will look into the upcoming changes in ICD-10-CM for 2024, in this two-part blog series and also, offer insights into the significant changes that are set to influence the field of medical coding and diagnosis. From infectious diseases to neurological conditions, we will explore the newly introduced diagnostic codes, providing healthcare professionals with essential insights into the evolving terminology and classifications that shape modern healthcare practices. Join us as we embark on a journey through the intricacies of ICD-10-CM 2024 updates, equipping professionals with the knowledge they need to navigate the dynamic world of healthcare coding.

Table of Contents

Understanding ICD-10-CM: A Brief Overview

Before delving into the specifics of the 2024 updates, let’s briefly understand what ICD-10-CM is and why it’s essential. ICD-10-CM is a diagnostic coding system used in the United States to classify and code diseases, conditions, and other health-related issues. It is extremely important in the healthcare industry as it allows for accurate billing, medical research, as well as public health reporting.

ICD-10-CM codes are alphanumeric and are used by healthcare providers to document patient diagnoses, which in turn affect insurance claims, reimbursement, and statistical analysis. Given its pivotal role in healthcare operations, ICD-10-CM is subject to regular updates to ensure it reflects the latest medical knowledge and aligns with evolving clinical practices.

In the 2024 update to the ICD-10 code set, there are notable changes. This update introduces 395 new ICD-10 codes, removes 25 codes, and alters 22 existing ones. These additions and modifications are intended to improve the accuracy of diagnostic coding for various medical conditions. Furthermore, there have been revisions made to 131 code headers, with four of them being modified.

ICD-10-CM 2024 Updates: What’s New?

The ICD-10-CM code set is updated annually, with revisions typically going into effect on October 1st of each year. The ICD-10-CM 2024 updates bring several notable changes that healthcare professionals should be aware of. The majority of the updates to the diagnosis coding guidelines for fiscal year 2024 are chapter-specific. Below are chapter-by-chapter details on how these codes are allocated, as well as an overview of specific conditions:

Chapter 1: Updates to Codes for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases

The update includes the addition of two new codes pertaining to sepsis caused by Acinetobacter baumannii or conditions associated with this pathogen but categorized separately.

A41.54 – Sepsis due to Acinetobacter baumannii
B96.83 – Acinetobacter baumannii as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere

Chapter 2: Updates to Neoplasms Codes

The latest update includes the addition of 13 new medical codes, notably encompassing 10 codes specifically designed for the desmoid tumors. This Desmoid tumors, known for their rarity, originate within deep soft tissues as well as within connective tissues and exhibit an unpredictable progression. It’s important to note that desmoid tumors lack the capacity to spread to other parts of the body and are not categorized as cancerous. They are recognized for their tendency to exhibit local aggressiveness, infiltration, and tissue damage. At times, these tumors are known as aggressive fibromatosis, and they have the potential to appear in different parts of the body, including the abdominal wall, extremities and shoulders, pelvic girdles and chest wall, the intraabdominal, retroperitoneal, and pelvic cavities, as well as the regions of the head and neck and the intrathoracic area.

D13.91 – Familial adenomatous polyposis
D13.99 – Benign neoplasm of ill-defined sites within the digestive system
D48.110 – Desmoid tumor of head and neck
D48.111 – Desmoid tumor of the chest wall
D48.112 – Desmoid tumor, intrathoracic
D48.113 – Desmoid tumor of the abdominal wall
D48.114 – Desmoid tumor, intraabdominal
D48.115 – Desmoid tumor of the upper extremity and shoulder girdle
D48.116 – Desmoid tumor of the lower extremity and pelvic girdle
D48.117 – Desmoid tumor of back
D48.118 – Desmoid tumor of other site
D48.119 – Desmoid tumor of unspecified site
D48.19 – Other specified neoplasm of uncertain behavior of connective and other soft tissue

Chapter 3: Updates to Codes Related to Conditions Impacting the Blood, Organs Responsible for Blood Formation, and Disorders Involving the Immune System Mechanism

The Updates include the addition of eight new diagnostic codes. These new codes are designed to address sickle-cell anemia conditions that are accompanied by dactylitis, a condition characterized by significant swelling and discomfort in the fingers and toes. This phenomenon is commonly observed in infants who are affected by sickle cell anemia.

D57.04 Hb-SS disease with dactylitis
D57.214 Sickle-cell/Hb-C disease with dactylitis
D57.414 Sickle-cell thalassemia, unspecified, with dactylitis
D57.434 Sickle-cell thalassemia beta zero with dactylitis
D57.454 Sickle-cell thalassemia beta plus with dactylitis
D57.814 Other sickle-cell disorders with dactylitis
D61.02 Shwachman-Diamond syndrome
D89.84 IgG4-related disease

Chapter 4: Updates to Codes for Endocrine, Nutritional, and Metabolic Diseases

The latest update includes the addition of 18 new codes within the category of endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases. These new codes have been introduced to specifically address conditions such as insulin insensitivity and hypoparathyroidism.

E20.810 Autosomal dominant hypocalcemia
E20.811 Secondary hypoparathyroidism in diseases classified elsewhere
E20.812 Autoimmune hypoparathyroidism
E20.818 Other specified hypoparathyroidism due to impaired parathyroid hormone secretion
E20.819 Hypoparathyroidism due to impaired parathyroid hormone secretion, unspecified
E20.89 Other specified hypoparathyroidism
E74.05 Lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 [LAMP2] deficiency
E75.27 Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease
E75.28 Canavan disease
E79.81 Aicardi-Goutières syndrome
E79.82 Hereditary xanthinuria
E79.89 Other specified disorders of purine and pyrimidine metabolism
E88.43 Disorders of mitochondrial tRNA synthetases
E88.810 Metabolic syndrome
E88.811 Insulin resistance syndrome, Type A
E88.818 Other insulin resistance
E88.819 Insulin resistance, unspecified
E88.A Wasting disease (syndrome) due to an underlying condition

Chapter 6: Updates on Coding for Nerve System Diseases

Updates in the field of nervous system disorders include the addition of 24 new medical codes. These codes have been specifically created to address conditions like Lafora Body Disease, also known as Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy. This neurodegenerative condition is caused by a glycogen metabolism disorder, leading to the buildup of abnormal glycogen clusters that form Lafora Bodies within various organs, including the brain, and liver.

In addition, the latest update includes the incorporation of four new diagnostic codes tailored specifically for chronic migraine with visual disturbances called aura. Additionally, it introduces five new codes designed to cover Parkinson’s disease, encompassing cases both with and without dyskinesia and fluctuations. Parkinson’s disease is a complex progressive neurodegenerative disorder. marked by motor manifestations including bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. Furthermore, it may also exhibit non-motor symptoms like anxiety and panic attacks, difficulty with executive functioning, and experiencing pain.

G11.5 Hypomyelination – hypogonadotropic hypogonadism – hypodontia
G11.6 Leukodystrophy with vanishing white matter disease
G20.A1 Parkinson’s disease without dyskinesia, without mention of fluctuations
G20.A2 Parkinson’s disease without dyskinesia, with fluctuations
G20.B1 Parkinson’s disease with dyskinesia, without mention of fluctuations
G20.B2 Parkinson’s disease with dyskinesia, with fluctuations
G20.C Parkinsonism, unspecified
G23.3 Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum
G31.80 Leukodystrophy, unspecified
G31.86 Alexander disease
G37.81 Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease
G37.89 Other specified demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system
G40.C01 Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, not intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.C09 Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, not intractable, without status epilepticus
G40.C11 Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, intractable, with status epilepticus
G40.C19 Lafora progressive myoclonus epilepsy, intractable, without status epilepticus
G43.E01 Chronic migraine with aura, not intractable, with status migrainosus
G43.E09 Chronic migraine with aura, not intractable, without status migrainosus
G43.E11 Chronic migraine with aura, intractable, with status migrainosus
G43.E19 Chronic migraine with aura, intractable, without status migrainosus
G90.B LMNB1-related autosomal dominant leukodystrophy
G93.42 Megaloencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts
G93.43 Leukoencephalopathy with calcifications and cysts
G93.44 Adult-onset leukodystrophy with axonal spheroids

Chapter 7: Updates to Codes for Eye and Adnexal Diseases

The latest revision in the classification of diseases affecting the eye and its associated structures includes the incorporation of 34 new medical codes. These newly added codes cover a range of conditions, including sickle-cell retinopathy. Furthermore, this update also includes codes specific to muscle entrapment based on site and codes for symptoms related to foreign body sensations associated with eye and adnexal conditions.

H36.811 Nonproliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, right eye
H36.812 Nonproliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, left eye
H36.813 Nonproliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, bilateral
H36.819 Nonproliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, unspecified eye
H36.821 Proliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, right eye
H36.822 Proliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, left eye
H36.823 Proliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, bilateral
H36.829 Proliferative sickle-cell retinopathy, unspecified eye
H36.89 Other retinal disorders in diseases classified elsewhere
H50.621 Inferior oblique muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.622 Inferior oblique muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.629 Inferior oblique muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.631 Inferior rectus muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.632 Inferior rectus muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.639 Inferior rectus muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.641 Lateral rectus muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.642 Lateral rectus muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.649 Lateral rectus muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.651 Medial rectus muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.652 Medial rectus muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.659 Medial rectus muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.661 Superior oblique muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.662 Superior oblique muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.669 Superior oblique muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.671 Superior rectus muscle entrapment, right eye
H50.672 Superior rectus muscle entrapment, left eye
H50.679 Superior rectus muscle entrapment, unspecified eye
H50.681 Extraocular muscle entrapment, unspecified, right eye
H50.682 Extraocular muscle entrapment, unspecified, left eye
H50.689 Extraocular muscle entrapment, unspecified, unspecified eye
H57.8A1 Foreign body sensation, right eye
H57.8A2 Foreign body sensation, left eye
H57.8A3 Foreign body sensation, bilateral eyes
H57.8A9 Foreign body sensation, unspecified eye

Chapter 9: Updates to Codes for Circulatory System Diseases

The latest update includes 10 new codes, including ones designed to cover a range of conditions like tachycardia (rapid heart rate), angina (chest pain), and microvascular dysfunction.

I1A.0 Resistant hypertension
I20.81 Angina pectoris with coronary microvascular dysfunction
I20.89 Other forms of angina pectoris
I21.B Myocardial infarction with coronary microvascular dysfunction
I24.81 Acute coronary microvascular dysfunction
I24.89 Other forms of acute ischemic heart disease
I25.85 Chronic coronary microvascular dysfunction
I47.10 Supraventricular tachycardia, unspecified
I47.11 Inappropriate sinus tachycardia, so stated
I47.19 Other supraventricular tachycardia

Chapter 10: Updates Regarding Codes for Respiratory System Diseases

The update includes seven new codes, specifically designed to address conditions like pneumonia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii and lung allograft dysfunction.

J15.61 Pneumonia due to Acinetobacter baumannii
J15.69 Pneumonia due to other Gram-negative bacteria
J44.81 Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
J44.89 Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
J4A.0 Restrictive allograft syndrome
J4A.8 Other chronic lung allograft dysfunction
J4A.9 Chronic lung allograft dysfunction, unspecified

These updates in ICD-10-CM for 2024 reflect the ongoing efforts to provide precise coding and documentation standards in the ever-evolving field of healthcare. Further, ICD-10-CM changes will be covered in Part 2 of this blog series. Don’t miss out, make sure to read Part 2!

* For more information, you can refer to the links below:

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (or) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)*