Yule Be Smart to Review These Dangers of the Holidays Codes
Add “Knowing how to code these common situations” to your holiday prep checklist. During the holidays, family parties and get-togethers with coworkers or friends may be a time-honored tradition, but these gatherings can sometimes pose risks. From episodes of anxiety to too much party punch to physical fights and food poisoning, the dangers can suddenly seem endless. Let’s take a look at some relevant ICD-10-CM coding to help you successfully code your way through this holiday season. Take This Advice for Worry-Free Anxiety and Social Phobia Coding Many people experience anxiety when it comes to checking off their holiday to-do lists or thinking about visiting family members they may not have a good relationship with. Even the idea of long-distance travel can land patients in your office looking for help. Here are some commonly used anxiety and phobia codes to help you with those holiday claims: Make note: Coding depression and anxiety can be confusing as the terms may sometimes be linked or used interchangeably by patients or practitioners depending on the circumstances. Code to the documentation provided and, if uncertain, please query your provider before proceeding with coding. Be Ready for Physical Altercation Coding When individuals are forced to interact in group settings during the holidays, not everything is eggnog and jingle bells. Sometimes, emotions fly as high as Santa’s sleigh and may escalate into actual fistfights. In the U.S., New Year’s Eve rates among the highest for emergency room (ER) visits due to physical altercations every year. Review a few of these assault ICD-10-CM codes before the season catches you off guard: Make note: for the above group of codes, you will need to code to the 7th character adding one of the following: Sample These Intoxication Codes Of course, so many physical altercations wouldn’t be possible without that spiced holiday drink being the spark to light the match. If a patient with a history of alcohol abuse visits your office this holiday season, here are the codes you may need: When a patient is seeking counseling for themselves concerning alcohol abuse, remember to add Z71.41 (Alcohol abuse counseling and surveillance of alcoholic). If a family member is the person seeking the counseling, choose Z71.42 (Counseling for family member of alcoholic) instead. Helpful tip: When coding for alcohol counseling, be sure to add a code from the F10.- range to the claim to avoid denial. Focus On Food Poisoning Having a meal in the stomach is a wonderful way to stay sober when planning to imbibe a little this holiday season. Be careful what you reach for on the buffet table, however. With everyone bringing a dish to pass, people are certainly placing a lot of trust in the cleanliness of other people’s kitchens, the freshness of their ingredients, and their ability to properly heat or refrigerate the food before bringing it to the party. Below you will find some of the more common codes related to food poisoning: Food allergies can pose a danger as well, with loved ones bringing homemade treats to gatherings. Don’t forget the newest codes for dairy and egg reactions that were recently introduced with the ICD-10-CM 2026 update: Make note: For the above group of codes, you will need to code to the 7th character adding the following: A = Initial encounter D=Subsequent encounter S = Sequela. Lindsey Bush, BA, MA, CPC, Production Editor, AAPC
