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ICD-10 Coding Updates Affecting Chiropractors
Billing / Fees / Insurance

ICD-10 Coding Updates Affecting Chiropractors

Samuel A. Collins  |  DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • ICD-10 coding updates take effect on Oct. 1st every year for the subsequent 12 months, and this year is no exception.
  • Any dates of service after 10-1-2024 require use of the updated codes. If the date of service was prior to Oct. 1st, then use the old code, regardless of the date of billing.
  • This year, updates relevant to doctors of chiropractic include certain lumbar and lumbosacral disc codes, as well as extremity codes.

ICD-10 coding updates take effect on Oct. 1st every year for the subsequent 12 months, and this year is no exception for some codes you may be currently using or will use. Any dates of service after 10-1-2024 require use of the updated codes. If the date of service was prior to Oct. 1st, then use the old code, regardless of the date of billing.

Below is a summary of the code updates that are pertinent to chiropractic. Lumbar and lumbosacral disc degeneration codes update to five characters; and codes are more granular to describe discogenic back pain only, pain in the leg only, pain the back and leg, or no mention of pain.

There is also a new code for dysfunction of the multifidus muscles of the lumbar spine; as well as new codes for greater specificity of tenosynovitis.

Lumbar Disc Codes

Deleted:

  • M51.36 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region

Added:

  • M51.360 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with discogenic back pain
  • M51.361 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with lower extremity pain only
  • M51.362 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with discogenic back pain and lower extremity pain
  • M51.369 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region without mention of lumbar back pain or lower extremity pain

Lumbosacral Disc Codes

Deleted:

  • M51.37 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region

Added:

  • M51.370 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with discogenic back pain only
  • M51.371 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with lower extremity pain only
  • M51.372 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with discogenic back pain and lower extremity pain
  • M51.379 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region without mention of lumbar back pain or lower extremity

Added:

  • M62.85 Dysfunction of the multifidus muscles, lumbar region

Extremity Codes

Deleted:

  • M65.9 Synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified

Added:

  • M6590 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified site
  • M65911 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right shoulder
  • M65912 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left shoulder
  • M65.919 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified shoulder
  • M65.921 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right upper arm
  • M65.922 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left upper arm
  • M65.929 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified upper arm
  • M65.931 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right forearm
  • M65.932 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left forearm
  • M65.939 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified forearm
  • M65.941 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right hand
  • M65.942 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left hand
  • M65.949 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified hand
  • M65.951 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right thigh
  • M65.952 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left thigh
  • M65.959 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified thigh
  • M65.961 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right lower leg
  • M65.962 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left lower leg
  • M65.969 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified lower leg
  • M65.971 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, right ankle and foot
  • M65.972 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, left ankle and foot
  • M65.979 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, unspecified ankle and foot
  • M65.98 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, other site
  • M65.99 Unspecified synovitis and tenosynovitis, multiple sites

Editor’s Note: Sam’s discussion of the latest ICD-10 code changes appears in the December 2024 print issue of Dynamic Chiropractic.

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