ICD-10: 2-Code Pressure Ulcer Reduces to Just 1 for ICD-10

ICD9 Codes

You won't require an additional code for 'stage.'While you report a pressure (decubitus) ulcer diagnosis in ICD-9, you have to use two ICD-9 codes -- one for reporting the location, and one for reporting the stage. All that modifies once ICD-10 goes into effect. Even though the number of ICD-9 codes substantially increase from 14 under ICD-9 to over 150 in ICD-10, you'll just require one code for reporting the pressure ulcer location and stage when you start reporting using the new diagnosis code set. Ascertain Pressure Ulcer Site With ICD-9, you have nine "location" ICD9 codes to choose from, as follows:

• 707.00 – (Pressure ulcer; unspecified site)
• 707.01 – (… elbow)
• 707.02 – (… upper back)
• 707.03 – (… lower back)
• 707.04 – (… hip)
• 707.05 – (… buttock)
• 707.06 – (… ankle)
• 707.07 – (… heel)
• 707.09 – (… other site)

ICD-10 provides much better site specificity, creating many more code options, as follows:

• L89.9_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified site)
• L89.00_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified elbow)
• L89.01_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right elbow)
• L89.02_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left elbow)
• L89.10_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified part of back)
• L89.11_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right upper back)
• L89.12_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left upper back)
• L89.13_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right lower back)
• L89.14_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left lower back)
• L89.15_ -- (Pressure ulcer of sacral region)
• L89.20_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified hip)
• L89.21_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right hip)
• L89.22_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left hip)
• L89.30_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified buttock)
• L89.31_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right buttock)
• L89.32_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left buttock)
• L89.4_ -- (Pressure ulcer of contiguous site of back, buttock and hip)
• L89.50_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified ankle)
• L89.51_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right ankle)
• L89.52_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left ankle)
• L89.60_ -- (Pressure ulcer of unspecified heel)
• L89.61_ -- (Pressure ulcer of right heel)
• L89.62_ -- (Pressure ulcer of left heel)
• L89.81_ -- (Pressure ulcer of head)
• L89.89_ -- (Pressure ulcer of other site) Report Pressure Ulcer StageFollowing pressure-ulcer site ICD-9 codes 707.0x, ICD-9 asks coders to see additional code to identify pressure ulcer stage (707.20-707.25)." The "stage" codes provide the following listed diagnostic information:
• 707.21 – (Pressure ulcer, stage I. This stage involves intact skin with redness of a localized area, usually over a bony prominence)
• 707.22 – (Pressure ulcer, stage II. Stage II ulcers may have intact or ruptured serum-filled blisters and a partial-thickness loss of dermis.)
• 707.23 – (Pressure ulcer, stage III. Full-thickness tissue loss is characteristic of this stage, possibly with subcutaneous fat visible.)
• 707.24 – (Pressure ulcer, stage IV. Exposed bone, tendon or muscle from full-thickness tissue loss defines this stage.)

ICD-10 identifies the same four stages – and also "unstageable" or "unspecified stage" pressure ulcers. But in place of using an additional code to capture the stage information, each one of the site codes includes a final digit to account for these six "stage" choices.

For instance: L89.11_ expands to the following listed six codes:

• L89.110 – (Pressure ulcer of right upper back, unstageable)
• L89.111 -- (… stage 1)
• L89.112 -- (… stage 2)
• L89.113 -- (… stage 3)
• L89.114 -- (… stage 4)
• L89.119 -- (… unspecified stage)