F43.20: Adjustment disorder, unspecified
Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2027
What ICD-10-CM says
Notes at F43.2, Adjustment disorders (they apply to every code under it)
Includes
- Culture shock
- Grief reaction
- Hospitalism in children
Excludes2 (not part of F43.20; both may be coded)
- separation anxiety disorder of childhood (F93.0)
What F43.20 covers
F43.20 is for an adjustment disorder when the record does not name the main symptoms. The F43.2 subcategory includes grief reaction, culture shock and hospitalism in children.
Behavioral health and primary care use it. The specific subtypes are with depressed mood (F43.21), with anxiety (F43.22), with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (F43.23), with disturbance of conduct (F43.24), with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct (F43.25) and with other symptoms (F43.29).
Billing and coding notes
F43.20 is billable but unspecified. When the clinician documents the symptoms, use the matching subtype instead.
Grief is included in F43.2, but prolonged grief disorder has its own code (F43.81). Separation anxiety disorder of childhood (F93.0) is an excludes2 and can be coded alongside when documented.
Related codes under F43.2
- F43.21 Adjustment disorder with depressed mood
- F43.22 Adjustment disorder with anxiety
- F43.23 Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
- F43.24 Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct
- F43.25 Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct
- F43.29 Adjustment disorder with other symptoms
Questions about F43.20
Is F43.20 billable?
Yes. It is a complete code, though a subtype such as F43.21, F43.22 or F43.23 is better when the note supports it.
What is the difference between F43.20 and F43.29?
F43.20 is an adjustment disorder with no subtype documented. F43.29 is an adjustment disorder with other symptoms, for symptoms not covered by the other subtypes.
ICD-10-CM in CloudMedico
In CloudMedico, a visit's diagnoses come from the current ICD-10-CM list. For US practices, the visit flags a code that isn't billable on its date, and a superbill made from an invoice carries the visit's diagnoses.
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