Spooky ICD-10 Codes to Look Out for on Halloween

October is here and it’s the month of spooks, vampires, witches, and werewolves. With the celebration of Halloween, here are some ICD-10 codes you may see this season.

Ghosts

Did you just hear something creepy or is your mind playing tricks on you? If a ghost whispers in your ear or you see a headless specter, there is a code for that:

• R44.0 Auditory hallucinations
• R44.1 Visual hallucinations

Vampires

If a vampire-related injury occurs, look to these ICD-10 codes:

• K03.0 Excessive attrition of teeth
• S10.17 Other superficial bite of throat
• S10.8 Superficial injury of other specified parts of neck
• S11.95X Open bite of unspecified part of neck, initial encounter
• X32.XXXA Exposure to sunlight, initial encounter
• Y04.1 Assault by human bite

Werewolves

When someone is morphing into a werewolf, these ICD-10 codes will cover the diagnosis:

• Q84.2 Other congenital malformations of hair
• L68.0 Hirsutism

Witches

The witches may be brewing up something dangerous. If you try it, be prepared to code it:

• T62.8X1A Toxic effect of other specified noxious substances eaten as food, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter

Too Much Candy?

Did you raid your children’s Halloween candy bag? If so, be careful of these afflictions:

• R63.2 Polyphagia
• T50.3X1A Poisoning by electrolytic, caloric and water-balance agents, accidental (unintentional), initial encounter
• T78.01 Anaphylactic reaction due to peanuts

Other Halloween-related Injuries

While carving pumpkins, look to this code if you land yourself in the emergency room with a knife-related injury:

• Y93.D Activities involving arts and handcrafts

If you pet the black cat who crosses your path, you may end up with this:

• A28.1 Cat-scratch disease

When Halloween costume masks obstruct your view, you may need this code after a trip to your doctor:

• W22.02XA Walked into lamppost, initial encounter

Hopefully, you and those you know won’t need to use any of these codes during October. Be safe this Halloween!

For all things ICD-10, Go to AAPC

If you want to learn more about ICD-10-CM coding, go to AAPC’s ICD-10 Codes Web page. For an easy coding tool to help you find and choose appropriate ICD-10 codes, look to AAPC Coder.
2019 ICD-10 code books are available. For more information, go to the AAPC’s ICD-10 Books Web page.

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Michelle Dick

Michelle A. Dick, BS, provides writing and editorial expertise to clients. She is a freelance proofreader for Partners & Napier’s Vine Creative Studios and the owner of My Garden Gal, a garden maintenance and landscaping business. Prior to becoming a free agent, Dick was an executive editor for AAPC.

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