Reader Question:
Assign 'Other Unspecified' for Obstructive Apnea
Published on Thu Jan 01, 2004
Question: What is the appropriate ICD-9 code to describe obstructive sleep apnea for sleep testing?
Oregon Subscriber Answer: The best code choice is 780.57 (Other and unspecified sleep apnea) in the absence of a more definitive classification such as apnea with hypersomnia (780.53), hyposomnia (780.52) or insomnia (780.51). Consulting ICD-9's "Index to Diseases" does reveal a listing for obstructive apnea (770.82, Other apnea of newborn), but this applies only to newborns.