What's the ICD-10 for Mild Intellectual Disabilities?
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Looking for the ICD-10 mild intellectual disabilities code? Using the correct ICD-10 codes is essential for behavioral health assessments and when billing insurance.
In this article, we provide a helpful overview of ICD-10 mild intellectual disabilities codes, the mild intellectual disability diagnosis criteria and specifiers, and differential diagnoses.
Bookmark this article as a reference to use next time you need to access the most common intellectual disabilities ICD-10 codes.
What is the ICD-10?
The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) is a clinical guide published by the World Health Organization (WHO) that describes health conditions using standard diagnostic language. Clinicians in the United States use the ICD-10-CM, a clinical modification of the ICD-10, for diagnosis and insurance billing.
Clinicians in the U.S. also use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The DSM-5 also contains the relevant ICD-10 mild intellectual disabilities coding information.
Using the appropriate ICD-10 code is critical for clinicians as part of the assessment process, as well as when defining treatment goals and when billing insurance.
What are the ICD-10 mild intellectual disabilities codes?
Mild intellectual disability is classified in the ICD-10 under the section “Intellectual disabilities” (F70 to F79), previously known as “Mental retardation.”
There are several ICD-10 codes in this section, ranging from mild intellectual disability to profound intellectual disability. Codes F70 through F79 denote other organic disturbance and intellectual disabilities with moderate to severe specifiers.
You can find commonly used mental health ICD-10 codes in SimplePractice’s list of the 20 most-frequently billed ICD-10 codes.
The specific range of intellectual disability codes in the ICD-10 are as follows:
- F70: Mild intellectual disabilities
- F71: Moderate intellectual disabilities
- F72: Severe intellectual disabilities
- F73: Profound intellectual disabilities
- F78: Other intellectual disabilities
- Note: This code should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.
- F78.A: Other genetic related intellectual disabilities
- Note: This code should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.
- F78.A1: SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability
- F78.A9: Other genetic related intellectual disability
- F79: Unspecified intellectual disabilities
Mild intellectual disability diagnosis criteria
Mild intellectual impairment ICD-10 codes describe conditions defined by “arrested or incomplete development of the mind.”
Key characteristics include impairment of skills during the developmental period, including:
- Cognitive skills
- Language skills
- Motor skills
- Social abilities
Other factors to consider include:
- Mild intellectual disabilities can occur with or without any other mental or physical condition
- Degrees of impairment can be measured using diagnostic tests
- Intellectual abilities and social skills may change over time through training and rehabilitation
DSM-5 criteria for intellectual disabilities
While the ICD-10 mild intellectual disability codes are the same in the DSM-5, the DSM-5 contains more detailed diagnostic criteria, summarized below.
The three criteria listed below need to be met to diagnose an intellectual disability:
A. Deficits in intellectual functioning that include reasoning, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgment, academic learning, and learning from experience. Evaluation should include individualized standard IQ testing.
B. Deficits in adaptive functioning that significantly hamper conforming to developmental and sociocultural standards for the individual's independence and ability to meet their social responsibility.
C. The onset of these deficits during childhood.
Clinicians can also specify whether the intellectual disability is mild, moderate, severe, or profound, using the related code.
The DSM-5 also describes these specifiers in more detail and explains how they impact conceptual, social, and practical domains of the individual’s life.
Differential diagnosis for intellectual disabilities
While some patients may meet one or two of the criteria for a mild intellectual disability, there may be a more appropriate diagnosis to consider, such as:
- Major and mild cognitive disorders
- Communication disorders and specific learning disorders
- Autism spectrum disorder
How to find ICD-10 codes
The full list of ICD-10 mild intellectual disability codes are available in digital and book formats:
- The official ICD-10 under the section of “Mental retardation” (F70 to F79), and sub-section “Mild mental retardation” (F70), now known as “Intellectual disabilities”
- ICD-10 Data, a searchable ICD-10 database
- DSM-5 in the textbook and digital version
It is worth noting that while the DSM-5 does contain accurate ICD-10 codes, they may not align with the most recent ICD version, and diagnostic criteria and other indicators may differ.
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