Inpatient Facility Coding & Compliance Alert

Question: What ICD-10 codes can we submit to report the diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: If your provider documents a diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy, you will submit ICD-10 code M54.16 (Radiculopathy, lumbar region).

ICD-9: The only code in ICD-9 for radiculopathy was 724.4 (Thoracic or lumbosacral neuritis or radiculitis, unspecified). This code covered radiculopathy in the thoracic, lumber, and sacral regions.

ICD-10: In ICD-10, there are four codes that are used for the specific involved region. These are as follows:

• M54.14 -- Radiculopathy, thoracic region
• M54.15 -- Radiculopathy, thoracolumbar region
• M54.16 -- Radiculopathy, lumbar region
• M54.17 -- Radiculopathy, lumbosacral region.