Mental Health – This question came in and took me a few minutes to figure out exactly
what they were asking, but once I did a little research I got where this person was coming
from.
Q: I am trying to verify exactly what V71.09 means – (mind you, this is not ICD-10, this
is ICD-9) – or get more specific meaning behind the description.
I show two different definitions: V71.09 No Diagnosis on Axis II, V71.09 No Diagnosis
or Condition on Axis I.
A: When you go look up in your tabular V71.09 states that it’s other suspected mental
condition.
Let’s get some background and that will tell us, I believe what we need
to know.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) - You’re going to go and
we’re going to be working with DSM from this point on.
The axis is referring to how they determine what’s wrong with their patient.
Again, this is for mental health.
Axis I refers broadly to the principal disorder Axis II lists any personality disorder that
may be shaping the current response to the Axis I problem
Axis III lists any medical or neurological problems that may be relevant to theindividual’s
current or past psychiatric problems;
Axis IV codes the major psychosocial stressors to the individual has faced recently
Axis V codes the “level of function” This is all based on mental health.
So, if we’re going to see a breakdown of that, we have to think “other suspected
mental condition,” but there’s no diagnosis.
With this particular scenario we have, here is the impression: Axis I: No diagnosis, Axis
II: No diagnosis, Axis III: None, Axis IV: Educational problems and Axis V: GAF=85.
Let’s go look at this other one: Axis I: No diagnosis.
It’s not saying that they don’t have diagnosis per se, it’s other suspected mental condition
with no diagnosis is what they’re saying.
Axis II: Borderline intellectual functioning, Axis III: Fetal alcohol syndrome by history
(they know that), Axis IV: Occupational and educational problems, and Axis V: GAF=75.
What that is telling you is that this right here is on Axis II, which is any personality
disorder that may be shaping the current response to the Axis I problem, the diagnosis you’re
going to be able to state – wait, I don’t want to say the wrong thing – other suspected
mental condition.
Then, if the person has Axis I, same thing: refers broadly to the principal disorder.
It doesn’t mean that Axis I is not part of the diagnosis code, what it means is that
they’re using the V71.09, because in Axis I for the principal disorder there is: other
suspected mental condition.
But they don’t have a diagnosis for you.
Same thing with II: personality disorder that may be shaping the current response to the
Axis I – again, other suspected mental condition.
OK?
So they don’t have a diagnosis yet so they gave him V71.09.
I hope that helps you.
Mental health is not something that I’m most familiar with, but as the tide is starting
to change and we’re seeing that there is more need for mental health in our society,
then I think we’re going to see some more specialties in this for coding.
So, it’s a good thing to get familiar with it.