Home Health ICD-9/ICD-10 Alert

Question: Could you please explain the difference between: 307.6 (Enuresis [primary] [secondary] of nonorganic origin) and 788.36 (Nocturnal enuresis)? The diagnosis I have reads "enuresis" and I am not certain which code to report.

Answer: You'll notice that the diagnosis code for "enuresis of nonorganic origin" (307.6) falls in the "Mental Disorders" chapter of your ICD-9 manual. A patient with this diagnosis has involuntary urination (also called bedwetting) past the age of normal control with no link to a biological problem, instead the source of the condition is thought to be psychological.

Nocturnal enuresis (788.36), which is also known as night bed-wetting or involuntary urination at night, falls under the "Signs, Symptoms, and Ill-Defined Conditions" chapter in your ICD-9 manual. If you don't have specific documentation linking your patient's enuresis to psychological factors, 788.36 is your code.

Background: The evaluation of enuresis requires a thorough examination, history, and urinalysis. Treatment options for enuresis include prescription medications, as well as continence training and bed-wetting alarms, which have the highest cure rate and lowest relapse rate.