The haunting of health IT: Thirteen ICD-10-CM codes for Halloween

Halloween was meant to be celebrated for a month, right? Get spooky with these seasonally appropriate ICD-10-CM codes.
ICD-10-CM

As the nights grow colder and the days grow shorter, spooky things are bound to happen. But fear not, there’s an ICD-10-CM code for whatever may haunt you this hallowed holiday season.

Other fall on same level due to collision with another person, initial encounter – W03.XXXA

This ICD-10-CM code pops up in almost every episode of Scooby-Doo as the gang runs from door to door in pursuit of the masked culprit.

Cracked tooth – K03.81

While the less scary and more scrumptious side of Halloween is collecting candy, eat your treats with care.

Other activities involving arts and handcrafts – Y93.D9 

Remember, the objective is to carve the pumpkin not anything — or anyone — else.

Other wilderness area as the place of occurrence of the external cause – Y92.828

Was this code added before or after The Blair Witch Project came out? Asking for a friend…

Assault by sword or dagger – X99.2xxA

Will Jamie Lee Curtis’s character continue to escape this ICD-10-CM code in the Halloween films? We hope so.

Walked into lamppost, initial encounter – W22.02xA

The codes are there for you when that darned eye mask just won’t stay put.

Bizarre personal appearance – R46.1

We’re guessing that clinicians on the night shift get a lot of use out of this code every October 31.

Injury due to activity, sewing – Y93.D2

For when you just can’t bake any more bread and picked “DIY Halloween costume” as your next pandemic project.

Open bite of unspecified part of neck, initial encounter – S11.95xA

There’s always someone who takes their costume a little too seriously, and we’re lookin’ at you, “Dracula”.

Phobia of blood – F40.230

Whether it’s the real deal or the fake syrup-ketchup mixture, rest assured that any blood phobias can integrate straight into your EHR’s medical problem list.

Nightmare disorder – F51.5

If non-stop horror movies have been keeping you awake all October, breathe easy knowing you’re about to get a reprieve for another year.

Allergic contact dermatitis due to cosmetics – L23.2

Because sensitive skin and a full mask of face paint sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Strange and inexplicable behavior – R46.2

Just when we thought things couldn’t get weirder, Halloween will probably prove us wrong with some head-turning spooky shenanigans.

Can’t get enough of seasonal codes? The holidays are right around the corner. And, if you need to brush up on recent ICD-10-CM updates, we’ve got an in-depth webinar with coding experts to get you up to speed. 

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