Z Codes

Z codes are for use in any healthcare setting. Z codes may be used as either a first-listed (principal diagnosis code in the inpatient setting) or secondary code, depending on the circumstances of the encounter. Certain Z codes may only be used as first-listed or principal diagnosis.Z codes represent reasons for specific encounters and are found in Chapter 21 of ICD-10. Certain Z codes may only be reported as the first-listed Dx and should never be reported in any position other the primary position. Some Z codes cannot be first-listed.

Z codes are also useful in reporting risk factors such as a family history of a condition, which increases the risk that the patient will develop the same condition. And, as more cause-and-effect relationships are discovered through reporting and research, Z codes can be used to report them.One tool available to hospitals to capture data on the social needs of their patient population is the ICD-10-CM codes included in categories Z55-Z65 (“Z codes”), which identify non-medical factors that may influence a patient's health status. Z codes are a special group of codes provided in ICD-10-CM for the reporting of factors influencing health status and contact with health services. Z codes are designated as the principal/first listed diagnosis in specific situations such as: ... Source: ICD-10-CM Draft Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting 2015.

Factors influencing health status and contact with heavlth services Z00-Z99

Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed. Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:

(a) When a person who may or may not be sick encounters the health services for some specific purpose, such as to receive limited care or service for a current condition, to donate an organ or tissue, to receive prophylactic vaccination (immunization), or to discuss a problem which is in itself not a disease or injury.
(b) When some circumstance or problem is present which influences the person's health status but is not in itself a current illness or injury.

Codes

Z00-Z13
Persons encountering health services for examinations
Z14-Z15
Genetic carrier and genetic susceptibility to disease
Z16-Z16
Resistance to antimicrobial drugs
Z17-Z17
Estrogen receptor status
Z18-Z18
Retained foreign body fragments
Z19-Z19
Hormone sensitivity malignancy status
Z20-Z29
Persons with potential health hazards related to communicable diseases
Z30-Z39
Persons encountering health services in circumstances related to reproduction
Z40-Z53
Encounters for other specific health care
Z55-Z65
Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances
Z66-Z66
Do not resuscitate status
Z67-Z67
Blood type
Z68-Z68
Body mass index (BMI)
Z69-Z76
Persons encountering health services in other circumstances
Z77-Z99
Persons with potential health hazards related to family and personal history and certain conditions influencing health status

Z codes are a special group of codes provided in ICD-10-CM for the reporting of factors influencing health status and contact with health services. Z codes (Z00–Z99) are diagnosis codes used for situations where patients don’t have a known disorder. Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed.

the Importance of Z Codes

Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services (Z00-Z99) of the ICD-10-CM code book, may be used in any healthcare setting. The ICD-10-CM Guidelines for Coding and Reporting instruct us to code for all coexisting comorbidity, especially those part of medical decision-making (MDM).

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