Primary Care Coding Alert
Freeze at 327.XX ICD-9 Section for Sleep Paralysis
Question: An established patient reports to the FP reporting that shortly after waking up in the morning, it is extremely difficult for him to move his arms and legs. The patient says this has been happening "off and on" for about three weeks, but this episode was especially intense. He also reports mild hallucinations during these times of "paralysis." The physician diagnoses sleep paralysis during a level-four E/M. I have pored over the sleep disorder ICD-9 code set (327.XX) and cannot find a diagnosis. Should I code the patient's symptoms? North Carolina Subscriber Answer: There is an ICD-9-CM code for sleep paralysis. The proper code for this patient's condition is 327.43 (Recurrent isolated sleep paralysis). On the claim, report 99214 (Office or other outpatient visit for the evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at least two of these three key components: a detailed history; a detailed examination; medical decision making of moderate complexity) with 327.43 appended.
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