New ICD-9-CM Diagnostic
Code Approved for Oral Mucositis

A new code for oral mucositis will be added to the ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes, effective Oct. 1.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is adding oral mucositis in an expansion of the “528" stomatitis code.

 “We petitioned HRSA to add a mucositis code primarily for BMT patients,” said Patrick Stiff, MD, of Loyola University Medical Center and chair of the ASBMT Committee on Standardization of Outcomes Reporting and RFIs.  “The new code will increase awareness of oral mucositis toxicity, permit us to track this toxicity in all cancer patients, and potentially help in re-imbursement.”

Dr. Stiff submitted the code request to HRSA last summer and gave a formal presentation in September.

Beginning Oct. 1, the 528 diagnostic codes for stomatitis and mucositis will be:

528.00 – stomatitis and mucositis, unspecified
528.01 – mucositis (ulcerative) due to antineoplastic therapy
528.02 – mucositis (ulcerative) due to other drugs