ICD-10 Tip: Influenza

To correctly code for influenza, the clinician should document the type and manifestations of the virus.
There are three types of influenza virus: A, B, and C. Types A and B can cause seasonal epidemics in the United States, whereas type C causes mild respiratory illness and is not thought to cause epidemics, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Many of the ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes include the manifestation — for example, J09.X2 Influenza due to identified novel influenza A virus with other respiratory manifestations. If the code does not, you will find an instructional note to “code also” or “use additional code” for reporting the manifestation(s) or associated complication(s). For example, J11.1 Influenza due to unidentified influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations instructs you to use additional codes for associated pleural effusion and sinusitis, if applicable.

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Jacqueline J. Stack, BSHA, CPC, CPC-I, CPB, CEMC, CFPC, CIMC, CPEDC, is education specialist at AAPC.

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ICD-10 Tip: Influenza was last modified: January 1st, 2016 by Guest Contributor

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No Responses to “ICD-10 Tip: Influenza”

1. surya says:

   November 9, 2017 at 12:09 am

   Hi any one plz tell me how to code if a patient admitted for influenza A (cultures Positive for influenza A) means we need to take A/H5N1 or Avian or Novel influnza A/h1n1 or we need to take other specified influnza.

2. Nicki says:

   December 6, 2017 at 3:47 pm

   Notes: A new strain of Avian Influenza A/H7N9 was recently identified in China. J09.X- series codes must be supported by documentation (not necessarily lab results). The provider’s documentation, should include an entire phrase such as “Influenza A/H5N1”
   The J09.X- series codes are reported to Congress and monitored by the CDC. Use of this code in any setting within the continental US would spark a lot of interest.
   ** Per ICD-10, Novel Influenza A/H1N1 is coded J10.1. Additional Notes: Influenza A is just plain old influenza and coded to J10-, Influenza due to identified “influenza” virus is coded J11-. Influenza is often documented as being diagnosed on the basis of a nasal swab.