Get ready for October 1: Review updates to the 2020 ICD-10-CM coding guidelines

Why This Topic Matters

The FY 2020 guideline revisions affect how certain diagnoses and circumstances are documented, sequenced, and reported. Understanding the scope of these updates helps coding teams align claims and documentation practices with the current ICD-10-CM guidance.

Article Sections

1. Chapter 9: Diseases of the circulatory system

   Discusses guideline revisions for circulatory system reporting in the FY 2020 ICD-10-CM manual. The section focuses on updated terminology and related reporting guidance for myocardial infarction categories.

2. Chapter 12: Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

   Covers changes related to pressure ulcer guidance in the FY 2020 update. The section addresses revised language for pressure-related conditions and documentation categories within the skin chapter.

3. Chapter 15: Pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium

   Reviews obstetric guideline revisions affecting delivery, abortion-related follow-up, and related pregnancy chapter guidance. The section summarizes areas where the 2020 manual clarifies reporting expectations.

4. Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes

   Explains new and revised guidance for injury reporting, care complications, and substance-related coding within Chapter 19. The section also covers updates affecting selected injury circumstances and complication categories.

5. Chapter 20: External causes of morbidity

   Describes updated external-cause and status-related guidance, including body mass index reporting and uncertain diagnosis language. The section also distinguishes inpatient and outpatient reporting approaches.

6. Conclusion

   Provides a brief wrap-up emphasizing the importance of reviewing the annual guideline changes alongside other FY 2020 code updates.