OCD ICD 10 Code

Refresher: What are ICD-10 codes?

ICD-10 stands for the International Classification of Diseases. This standardized system classifies medical conditions to help healthcare providers diagnose various conditions through medical codes. These codes contain information about the following [¹]:

• Signs and symptoms of a disease
• Abnormal findings
• Injuries
• Related health problems
• External causes of diseases and injuries, etc.

The US version of these codes belongs to two sets/categories:

• CM – Clinical modification
• PCS – Procedure coding system

The latter is used only in inpatient hospital settings in the US, and the former is used in clinical and outpatient settings. Another difference between the two categories is that ICD-10-CM has around 68,000 codes while ICD-10-PCS has around 87,000 codes.

This tenth edition of the classification system took over the ninth edition because the latter was outdated and not detailed. Today, different countries use ICD-10 in a way that aligns with their healthcare infrastructure.

Medical providers can also receive reimbursement for certain services after submitting ICD-10-CM codes to the payer. When these codes help diagnose a patient’s condition, they also serve as a justification for all the services they receive as medically necessary.

What is the ICD 10 code for OCD?

ICD-10 code for obsessive-compulsive disorder is F42, which falls under the broad "Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders" category [²].

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder in which a person has reoccurring and uncontrollable thoughts or obsessions. The affected person may also have compulsions to perform certain behaviors again and again. OCD is a common but long-lasting disorder that can affect people of all ages.

Further specifications are detailed below.

OCD ICD 10 code: F42

OCD ICD 10 code F42 lookup

The table below lists the ICD-10 codes for OCD [³].

F42: OCD

Types of OCD under F42

The ICD 10 code F42 covers different types of obsessive-compulsive disorders, such as:

• Skin-picking disorder (dermatillomania)
• Hoarding disorder
• Mixed obsessional thoughts and acts
• Other OCD (related disorders come under other codes)

Since there are many types of obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors, it’s important to be specific with ICD-10 codes.

OCD types excluded from ICD-10 F42

ICD-10-F42 broadly covers obsessive-compulsive disorders. However, there are many other related disorders that don't come under the same category, such as:

• Body dysmorphic disorder (F45.22, under the range “Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders”) [⁴]
• Trichotillomania (F63.3, under the range “Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders”) [⁵]

A common theme of OCD and related disorders is the occurrence of repetitive behaviors or compulsions. So, people with this disorder often engage in compulsive behaviors such as excessive arranging, washing, counting, etc. This shows us that OCD can vary greatly.

In related disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder, individuals check their appearance excessively. They also engage in grooming-related behaviors to a great extent.

But, the disorder does not come under F42 because body dysmorphic disorder symptoms are solely focused on one’s body or appearance.

Similarly, trichotillomania or excessive hair-pulling also does not come under F42 because it is not a response to obsessive thoughts. People engage in it because they experience gratification when pulling their hair out. As a result, they experience an irresistible urge to keep doing it [⁶].

It's also important to note that a primary characteristic of OCD is "obsessive" thoughts. So, people may have obsessive thoughts about dirt or harming others, or things being out of order.

In related disorders like body dysmorphic disorder, people also have negative, repetitive thoughts about their appearance. But, people with trichotillomania do not have obsessive thoughts. They’re simply performing repetitive actions due to gratification.

Conclusion

ICD-10 codes for OCD must be assigned after careful evaluation of a patient's symptoms. Most OCD symptoms may seem similar to other related disorders. But determining the existence of both "obsessions" and "compulsions" is necessary for a disorder to be OCD.

OCD consists of repeated, unsettling thoughts and the urge to do something over and over again to make those thoughts go away. Some of the most common “obsession” examples include:

• Fear of being hurt
• A fear of germs, etc.

The most common examples of compulsions include:

• Washing hands excessively
• Cleaning excessively
• Checking on things
• Counting, etc.

Mistaking OCD symptoms for other disorders can lead you to assign the wrong codes. Assigning the wrong codes will affect the diagnosis and treatment of a disorder that has the ability to take over your life.

Therefore, it is important for healthcare professionals to clarify the specifics of a patient’s case for accurate reporting and documentation by reading symptoms carefully, identifying causes, understanding complications, and identifying any issues that may be worsening the symptoms.