ADHD ICD 10 Code

Refresher: What are ICD-10 codes?

The ICD-10, short for International Classification of Diseases), is a collection of medical classifications by the World Health Organization. Having entered into its 10th revision, the ICD-10 aims to provide a common language for recording, monitoring, and reporting diseases. A key objective is to allow medical coders to create accurate codes with minimal effort [1].

The ICD-10-CM is a modification of the ICD-10 for use throughout US organizations [2]. These codes are used for the purpose of medical billing and payment processing. The ICD-10 has several advantages over the ICD-9, namely, that it allows for more accurate diagnosis of medical conditions.

The medical classification list consists of over 68,000 codes that provide precise and highly accurate data to reflect a patient’s health status. By comparison, the ICD-9 only consists of about 13,000 codes only.

Note that the ICD-10-PCS is a coding system used for inpatient hospital settings throughout US organizations. It has over 87,000 codes that are completely different from the medication list found in ICD-10-CM.

What is the ICD 10 code for ADHD?

For ADHD, the general ICD-10 code is F90 (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It does not include anxiety disorders, mood disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, and schizophrenia, all of which have their own ICD-10 codes.

ADHD ICD 10 code: F90

ADHD ICD code F90 lookup

Below is a table of the ICD 10 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder codes for ADHD, which are classified under F90, “attention deficit hyperactivity disorders [3].

F90: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders

ADHD ICD code

ADHD affects 13% of men in their lifetime compared to just 4.2% of women [4]. The behavioral disorder has been associated with a twofold risk of premature death by the age of 46 [5]. In fact, ADHD can reduce a patient’s life expectancy by nearly 13 years, but it can be reversed if the symptoms are treated appropriately [6].

Diagnosing ADHD can be difficult because there is no single test available for the condition. Only a specialist can diagnose ADHD after making a detailed assessment. The specialist will contain a wide range of information about the patient through interviews to rule out any other possible causes for the symptoms.

With that said, most people living with ADHD can lead normal and fulfilling lives, provided that their symptoms are treated early.

Types of ADHD coded under F90

The ICD 10 code F900 does not specify the subtype of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. An F90 code can be used for ADHD of various types:

  • ADHD, hyperactive, impulsive
  • ADHD, predominantly hyperactive, impulsive presentation
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
  • ADHD, combined
  • ADHD, combined presentation
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type
  • ADHD, adult residual
  • Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • Residual adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder of childhood or adolescence NOS
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder NOS
  • Articulation disorder due to hyperkinesis
  • Conduct disorder, hyperkinetic
  • Developmental articulation disorder due to hyperkinesis
  • Developmental speech disorder due to hyperkinesis
  • Hyperkinetic conduct disorder
  • Long-term current use of medication for ADD or ADHD
  • Long-term current use of medication for attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

In other words, adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, long-term current use of medication for ADD or ADHD, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder of childhood or adolescence NOS codes could all be F90 if they are determined to be behavioral disorder with signs of inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. As a concrete example, a patient diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, predominantly hyperactive impulsive type, would be coded with F90.1.

There is a wide interindividual range in the symptoms of ADHD, with most cases being categorized into two types of behavioral issues:

  • Inattentiveness (difficulty with focusing and concentration)
  • Impulsiveness and hyperactivity

Most patients with ADHD will have symptoms that fall into both categories, but there are exceptions. For example, about 20% of patients with ADHD will have problems with focusing and contraction but not with hyperactivity and impulsiveness. This form of ADHD is known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). It can be difficult to diagnose ADD because its symptoms are less noticeable.

The main signs of ADHD (both inattentiveness and hyperactivity) include:

  • Having a very short attention span
  • Being distracted easily
  • Being described as careless by teachers at school
  • Being forgetful
  • Unable to focus on certain tasks that are too time-consuming or tedious
  • Unable to listen to or carry out instruction
  • Constantly changing tasks or activity
  • Finding it difficult to organize tasks
  • Inability to sit still
  • Repetitive movements due to boredom (fidgeting)
  • Significant physical movement
  • Excessive talking
  • The difficulty of waiting for one’s turn
  • Acting impulsively
  • Struggling with conversations and frequently interacting with others to make their point
  • Little to no sense of self-preservation in the face of obvious danger

ADHD is often treated using a combination of medicine and therapy with the help of a specialist such as a psychiatrist. The most commonly used types of medicine include methylphenidate and dexamphetamine. Although these medicines do not provide a permanent cure for ADHD, they can allow persons with the condition to feel calmer and concentrate better. Some medicines may be taken every day, but others may be only taken on specific days.

As people get older, they may or may not face more difficulties with ADHD. This largely depends on their exposure to stress. For example, entering a new stage in life, such as adulthood, can increase the stress levels and demands due to work obligations and family responsibilities. The inability to manage stressful events may exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD [7].

Behavioral Disorders excluded from ICD-10 F90

ICD-10 F90 excludes the following behavioral disorders:

  • Anxiety disorders (F40 and F41)
  • Mood (affective) disorders (F30 to F39)
  • Pervasive developmental disorders (F84)
  • Schizophrenia (F20)

Taking a quick comparison of ICD-10 codes with ICD-9 shows that the former allows for greater accuracy and specificity. This allows doctors to diagnose various diseases with a greater degree of accuracy. A more accurate diagnosis empowers doctors with the ability to improve the quality of life for patients.

ICD-10 also allows for greater consistency in record-keeping across healthcare organizations in the US. It becomes easy to collect, store, and retrieve medical histories using the ICD-10 classification system.

With that said, there are a few disadvantages of adopting the ICD-10 system. For one, smaller businesses with a limited budget can find it cost-prohibitive to make the jump from ICD-9 to ICD-10. This is because service providers often charge a premium for making the upgrade. Not to mention the fact that while the system is being upgraded, the healthcare organization will notice a small decline in productivity.

It also goes without saying that healthcare professionals and medical coders alike would be required to upgrade their certifications in order to use the new systems. This would require an investment of both time and money to attend classes and seminars. Signing up for examinations can be very expensive for students.

Although being highly accurate is a great advantage of the ICD-10 system, the correct usage of the system requires the ability to use large data sets. The accurate and consistent use of the ICD-10 depends on the correct application of these systems. Inexperienced coders can easily miscode medical conditions such as ADHD.

Miscoding can have devastating outcomes on patients lives and could potentially expose them to side effects of certain medications without improving their symptoms.

Correct code assignment of ADHD depends on the number and severity of symptoms. While it can be difficult to implement ICD-10 across healthcare organizations, there are substantial advantages of doing so in various areas, including:

  • Patient outcomes
  • Research
  • Organizational monitoring
  • Reimbursement

Conclusion

So, there you have it, an in-depth look at the ICD-10 code for ADHD. F90 includes various types of ADHD disorders, including the inattentive and hyperactive types. It does not cover anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. Effective treatment of ADHD requires early diagnosis and the use of various therapies, such as medication and psychological counseling, among others.

Please note that the information contained in this article is meant to be used for reference purposes only. It does not replace professional medical advice for ADHD. If you believe that you have ADHD and require treatment, please seek medical attention. You may also direct any questions you have about the ICD-10 F90 code discussed in this article.