What Are Diagnosis Codes and How Do I Find Them?
A diagnosis code describes a patient’s documented condition or reason for care. For US health care claims, clinicians use the current ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set. CPT codes describe the service performed, such as a psychotherapy session or evaluation. A DSM diagnosis name may help you identify a condition, but claims require the appropriate ICD-10-CM code.
Select the most specific code supported by your clinical assessment and documentation for the date of service. Do not choose a diagnosis solely to obtain payment. Code descriptions and rules can change each year, so check the current ICD-10-CM resources from the CDC when you are uncertain: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd-10-cm/index.html
If you use SimplePractice, keep the client’s diagnosis current in the client profile and check that the appropriate diagnosis is associated with the appointment and claim. If you submit a manual billing sheet, include the diagnosis code relevant to the service and notify our billing team when it changes.
Help Therapy handles claim submission. For questions about a code on a claim or billing sheet, contact billing@helptherapy.com. Clinical diagnosis and documentation remain the treating provider’s responsibility.