For removing the tick or splinter from skin, use 10120 (incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple). If it’s embedded, use 10121. One caveat: don’t use these codes for simply grasping a tick or splinter with tweezers and removing it, unless you have to enter the subcutaneous tissue with the tweezers.
The first code should be an S code that describes the location of the bite, such as S70.362A “Insect bite (nonvenomous), left thigh, initial encounter.” So, it isn’t that it is difficult to code for a tick bite, it’s that there are two steps and the super easy, quick search leads providers astray. See more Everyday Coding Q & A’s
Insect bite of other specified part of neck, initial encounter. S10.86XA is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2019 edition of ICD-10-CM S10.86XA became effective on October 1, 2018.
In a typical case, the tick or splinter itself penetrated subcutaneous tissues. If the end is sticking out and you can easily remove it with tweezers without entering the actual hole made by the foreign body, you should bill 10120 with modifier 52 (reduced services).
The first code should be an S code that describes the location of the bite, such as S70. 362A “Insect bite (nonvenomous), left thigh, initial encounter.”
860A – Insect Bite (Nonvenomous) of Lower Back and Pelvis, Initial Encounter.
919.4 - Insect bite, nonvenomous, of other, multiple, and unspecified sites, without mention of infection | ICD-10-CM.
Aftercare codes are found in categories Z42-Z49 and Z51. Aftercare is one of the 16 types of Z-codes covered in the 2012 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines and Reporting.
This time around, “I would code the removal as 10120 [Incision and removal of foreign body, subcutaneous tissues; simple],” says Charles, “as the provider documented that an incision was made to remove the tick.
9: Fever, unspecified.
W54.0XXAICD-10-CM Code for Bitten by dog, initial encounter W54. 0XXA.
Ticks are rarely considered as venomous animals despite that tick saliva contains several protein families present in venomous taxa and that many Ixodida genera can induce paralysis and other types of toxicoses.
ICD-10-CM Code for Pruritus, unspecified L29. 9.
Following ICD-10 guidelines, if a patient has or has had an HIV related condition, use B20 AIDS. If the patient has a positive HIV status, without symptoms or related conditions, use Z21.
ICD-10 code Z98. 890 for Other specified postprocedural states is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Factors influencing health status and contact with health services .
ICD-10 Code T84.
A tick is an arthropod. But, the problem with that is, W57.xxxA is an external cause code.
A tick is an arthropod. But, the problem with that is, W57.xxxA is an external cause code. It may not be submitted in the first position on the claim form, and often it is the only code selected by the provider.