What is the ICD-10 code for acute hepatitis A?

The ICD-10 code for acute hepatitis A without hepatic coma is B15.9. If hepatic coma is present, use B15.0.

How is acute hepatitis A documented?

Document acute hepatitis A with positive IgM anti-HAV, elevated ALT/AST, and absence of hepatic coma for B15.9.

ICD-10 Coding for Hepatitis A(B15.9, B15.0, K72.0)

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Learn about ICD-10 coding for acute hepatitis A, including codes B15.9 and B15.0, documentation requirements, and common pitfalls.

Also known as:

Acute Viral Hepatitis A

Related ICD-10 Code Ranges

Complete code families applicable to Hepatitis A

A00-B99Primary Range

Certain infectious and parasitic diseases

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Code Comparison: When to Use Each Code

Compare key differences between these codes to ensure accurate selection

Code	Description	When to Use	Key Documentation
B15.9	Acute hepatitis A without hepatic coma	Use when diagnosing acute hepatitis A without hepatic coma.	Positive IgM anti-HAV Elevated ALT/AST levels
B15.0	Acute hepatitis A with hepatic coma	Use when diagnosing acute hepatitis A with hepatic coma.	Positive IgM anti-HAV Symptoms of hepatic coma

Primary ICD-10-CM Codes

Hepatitis A without hepatic coma

B15.9Billable

Differential Codes

Alternative codes to consider when ruling out similar conditions

Acute hepatitis A with hepatic comaB15.0

Acute hepatitis A without hepatic comaB15.9

Documentation & Coding Risks

Avoid these common issues when documenting Hepatitis A.

Omitting serologic confirmation

Impact

Clinical: Misdiagnosis risk., Regulatory: Non-compliance with coding standards., Financial: Potential claim denials.

Mitigation

Ensure IgM anti-HAV testing is ordered and documented.

Using chronic hepatitis codes for acute cases

Impact

Reimbursement: Incorrect DRG assignment leading to reimbursement issues., Compliance: Non-compliance with coding guidelines., Data Quality: Inaccurate patient records affecting data quality.

Mitigation

Ensure documentation specifies 'acute' and confirm with IgM anti-HAV.

Serologic Confirmation

Impact

High risk of audit if serologic confirmation is missing.

Mitigation

Ensure all acute hepatitis A cases have documented IgM anti-HAV results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Primary Code

B15.9

Hepatitis A without hepatic coma

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