Primary Care Coding Alert

Question: For diagnostic purposes, are all fatigue syndromes the same? For example, if a patient has chronic fatigue syndrome, is that the same as fatigue syndrome caused by something like COVID?

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Answer: There is a general code for “other” fatigue syndromes in the G93.3- (Postviral and related fatigue syndromes) code set: G93.39 (Other post infection and related fatigue syndromes). There are also, however, specific codes for the conditions that you list in your question.

If a patient has a postviral fatigue syndrome — from COVID, for example — you’ll report G93.31 (Postviral fatigue syndrome). In the case of a post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome, ICD-10-CM directs you to use an additional code, U09.9 (Post COVID-19 condition, unspecified). When a patient suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, select G93.32 (Myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome). Note that if the patient suffers from chronic fatigue not otherwise specified, you should report R53.82 (Chronic fatigue, unspecified), which is an Excludes1 note under G93.3-.