Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

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

Ohio Subscriber

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

In the past: The codes in ICD-9 for radiculopathy were 724.3 (Sciatica) and 724.4 (Thoracic or lumbosacral neuritis or radiculitis, unspecified). These codes covered radiculopathy in the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions.

In ICD-10, you have four separate codes that distinguish the specific region involved with radiculopathy.

They are:

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

Your options for sciatica now include M54.3- (Sciatica) and M54.4- (Lumbago with sciatica). The fifth character for both these codes indicates right or left.