Dermatology Coding Alert

ICD-10:

Spot the Right Acne Dx Code in 2015

ICD-10 will break out an expanded set of codes based on acne type.

Starting Oct. 1, 2015, your dermatologist will be faced with a few more options for coding acne. The ICD-10 codes improve upon ICD-9 by providing more codes based on the specific type of acne.

ICD-9: Currently, the two diagnosis codes for acne are:

  • 706.0 — Acne varioliformis
  • 706.1 — Other acne.

A note under 706.0 explains that it includes acne frontalis and acne necrotica, while a note with 706.1 includes acne conglobata, cystic acne, pustular acne, acne vulgaris, and NOS.

These codes do not include acne rosacea, which is covered by 695.3 (Rosacea). A note with that code explains that it includes erythematosa, rosacea, perioral dermatitis and rhinophyma.

ICD-10: The new diagnosis code system provides these codes for acne conditions:

  • L70.0 — Acne vulgaris
  • L70.1 — Acne conglobata
  • L70.2 — Acne varioliformis
  • L70.3 — Acne tropica
  • L70.4 — Infantile acne
  • L70.5 — Acné excoriée des jeunes filles
  • L70.8 — Other acne
  • L70.9 — Acne, unspecified.

The rosacea codes are similarly expanded to provide codes for these conditions now all covered by 695.3:

  • L71.0 — Perioral dermatitis
  • L71.1 — Rhinophyma
  • L71.8 — Other rosacea
  • L71.9 — Rosacea, unspecified.

In ICD-10, erythema will be described by codes in the L50-L54 (Uticaria and erythema) series.