PTSD ICD-10 Codes
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Finding the right post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ICD-10 code is critical for mental health clinicians when it comes to diagnosing patients, treatment planning, and insurance reimbursement.
This article summarizes key ICD-10 codes for PTSD to assist you in identifying the correct code for your patients, and contains essential information about PTSD.
The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is a guide published by the World Health Organization (WHO) that is used by clinicians globally to identify health and disease trends, using standardized diagnostic language.
While mental health clinicians in the United States use a classification reference guide called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM)—published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA)—the latest guide Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) contains the correct PTSD ICD-10 code in parentheses.
Using the correct codes is important for clinicians in the assessment process, to determine treatment goals, and to ensure the correct administration of billing and insurance.
Bookmark this article as a reference to use next time you need to access the most common ICD-10 codes for PTSD.
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What are the ICD-10 codes for PTSD?
PTSD falls within the “Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders” section of the DSM, and in the section “Neurotic, Stress-Related, and Somatoform Disorders” within the ICD-10. There are four ICD-10 codes for PTSD listed by the WHO, but only one in the DSM-5.
SimplePractice’s list of the top 20 ICD codes most commonly used by behavioral health clinicians includes two ICD-10 codes for PTSD:
- #7 PTSD unspecified ICD-10 is F43.10
- #8 PTSD chronic ICD-10 is F43.12
Other commonly used PTSD ICD-10 codes are:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (F43.1)
- NOTE: This code should not be used for reimbursement purposes as there are multiple codes below it that contain a greater level of detail.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, acute (F43.11)
Symptomatic criteria that may be specified in diagnosis
Practitioners may also specify whether a patient’s diagnosis is:
- Acute. This is when symptoms have persisted for less than six months.
- Persistent/chronic. This is used to indicate symptoms lasting for greater than six months after the stressor has been removed.
- With the presence of dissociative symptoms, such as:
- Depersonalization. Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from their body.
- Derealization. Persistent or recurrent experiences of unreality of surroundings.
- With delayed expression. This is when the full diagnostic criteria are only met six months after the traumatic event.
What is Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Chronic PTSD is defined as symptoms lasting three months or longer, or with delayed onset more than six months after the event.
Is there an ICD-10 code for complex PTSD?
Both the ICD-10 and the DSM-5 do not contain a code for complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD or CPTSD)—despite strong advocacy to recognize the condition.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the reason why the DSM-5 excluded complex PTSD as a separate diagnosis is because, in their field trials, they found that 92% of C-PTSD patients also met the criteria for PTSD.
While the ICD-10 left out any mention of CPTSD, it appears in the latest revision. The ICD-11 recognizes complex PTSD, identifying two distinct related conditions in the category “Disorders specifically associated with stress,” as follows:
- PTSD (code 6B40)
- CPTSD (code 6B41)
Differential diagnoses for PTSD
While patients may meet some of the criterion for PTSD, or PTSD unspecified, there may be a more appropriate diagnosis, such as:
- Adjustment disorders
- Other posttraumatic disorders
- Acute stress disorder
- Anxiety disorders
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Major depressive disorder
- ADHD
- Dissociative disorders
- Personality disorders
- Traumatic brain injury
- Functional neurological symptom disorder (conversion disorder)
- Psychotic disorder
How to look up a diagnostic code for PTSD
The full list of PTSD ICD codes are available in the following digital and book formats:
- ICD-10 Data, a searchable ICD-10 database.
- The official ICD-10 under the sections “Mental and Behavioral Disorders,” “Neurotic, Stress-Related, and Somatoform Disorders,” and sub-section “Reaction to Severe Stress, and Adjustment Disorders.”
- DSM-5 throughout the textbook and online. The hard copy contains a handy alphabetical and numerical list of corresponding ICD-10 codes.
It is worth noting that while the DSM does contain accurate ICD-10 codes, they may not align with the most recent ICD version—as noted above in relation to CPTSD—and diagnostic criteria and other indicators may differ.
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