I. What is the ICD-9-CM?

a. The ICD-9-CM= International Classification of Diseases, 9

th
revision, Clinical Modification
b. It is a tool for classifying morbidity (sickness) and mortality (death) data for:
i. Indexing of diseases
ii. Medical care review
iii. Ambulatory care
iv. Other medical programs
v. Basic health statistics
c. The Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988 (P.L. 100-360) requires ICD-9-CM codes to
be submitted with Medicare Part B (outpatient services)
II. What is it used for?
a. ICD-9-CM codes are used to:
i. Facilitate payment of health services
ii. Evaluate patients use of health care facilities
iii. Study health care costs
iv. Research the quality of health care
v. Predict health care needs
III. Why is it used?
a. Government and private insures require diagnostic codes to be submitted to show the
medical necessity of services provided.
IV. ICD-9-CM Format
a. Volume 1- Tabular List of Diseases
b. Volume 2- Alphabetic Index of Diseases
c. Volume 3- Tabular List/ Alphabetic Index of Procedures (Hospital Use Only)
V. How is the ICD-9-CM used?
1. Look for the name of the disease in Volume 2s Alphabetic Index (in front of book)
2. Cross reference the code found in Volume 2, with code for same illness in the
Volume 1 (the Tabular List).
a. NEVER CODE DIRECTLY FROM THE CODE FOUND IN VOLUME 2 WITHOUT
DOUBLE CHECKING VOLUME 1.
VI. Volume 1 (the tabular list)
a. Anything that can happen to the human body, by way of injury or disease, has a code in
Volume 1.
i. Volume 1 has two sections:
ii. Section 1: Classifications of Disease and Injury
1. Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
2. Neoplasms
3. Endocrine, Nutritional, and Metabolic Diseases and Immunity
4. Diseases of the Blood and Blood forming organs
5. Mental, ,Behavioral, and Neurodevelopmental disorders
6. Diseases of the Nervous System and Sense Organs
7. Diseases of the Circulatory System]
8. Diseases of the Respiratory System
9. Diseases of the Digestive System
10. Diseases of the Genitourinary System
11. Complications of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium
12. Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue
13. Diseases of the Muscle System and Connective Tissue
14. Congenital Abnormalities
15. Certain Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period
16. Symptoms, Signs, and Ill-Defined Conditions
iii. Section 2 : Supplementary Classifications
1. V Codes
i. For a person who is currently not sick encounters health
services (ex. Donor or an organ or tissue, receive
vaccination, or discuss problem that in itself is not an injury
or disease)
ii. A patient with a known disease or injury receives health
service for specific treatment of that disease or injury
iii. A circumstance or problem is present and influences a
patients health status but is not itself a disease or injury.
(ex. Patient in hospital for surgery, but is allergic to
penicillin. The allergy to penicillin is a special consideration
that would be noted for treatment received.)
iv. To indicate birth status. Outcome of delivery pf a newborn
2. E Codes
VII. Volume 2, Alphabetic Index
a. Index to Diseases
i. Hypertension Chart
ii. Neoplasm Chart
b. Table of Drugs and Chemicals
c. Index to External Causes of Injury