Billable/ Specific Code:
R10.9 diagnosis code is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
Approximate Synonyms:
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain, acute
- Abdominal pain, chronic
- Abdominal pain, recurrent
- Abdominal pain, visceral
- Abdominal wall pain
- Acute abdominal pain
- Acute exacerbation of chronic abdominal pain
- Chronic abdominal pain
- Chronic abdominal pain with acute exacerbation
- Flank pain
- Recurrent abdominal pain
- Visceral pain
Clinical Information
- A disorder characterized by a sensation of marked discomfort in the abdominal region.
- Painful sensation in the abdominal region.
- Sensation of discomfort, distress, or agony in the abdominal region; generally associated with functional disorders, tissue injuries, or diseases.
- Your abdomen extends from below your chest to your groin. Some people call it the stomach, but your abdomen contains many other important organs. Pain in the abdomen can come from any one of them. The pain may start somewhere else, such as your chest. Severe pain doesn’t always mean a serious problem. Nor does mild pain mean a problem is not serious. Call your healthcare provider if mild pain lasts a week or more or if you have pain with other symptoms. Get medical help immediately if
- you have abdominal pain that is sudden and sharp
- you also have pain in your chest, neck or shoulder
- you’re vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- your abdomen is stiff, hard and tender to touch
- you can’t move your bowels, especially if you’re also vomiting
ICD-10: A Brief Synopsis
For disease reporting, the US utilizes its own national variant of ICD-10 called the ICD-10 Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). A procedural classification called ICD-10 Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) has also been developed for capturing inpatient procedures. The ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS were developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). There are over 70,000 ICD-10-PCS procedure codes and over 69,000 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, compared to about 3,800 procedure codes and roughly 14,000 diagnosis codes found in the previous ICD-9-CM.
The expansion of healthcare delivery systems and changes in global health trends prompted a need for codes with improved clinical accuracy and specificity. The alphanumeric coding in ICD-10 is an improvement from ICD-9 which had a limited number of codes and a restrictive structure. Early concerns in the implementation of ICD-10 included the cost and the availability of resources for training healthcare workers and professional coders.
There was much controversy when the transition from the ICD-9-CM to the ICD-10-CM was first announced in the US. Many providers were concerned about the vast number of codes being added, the complexity of the new coding system, and the costs associated with the transition. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) weighed these concerns against the benefits of having more accurate data collection, clearer documentation of diagnoses and procedures, and more accurate claims processing. CMS decided the financial and public health cost associated with continuing to use the ICD-9-CM was too high and mandated the switch to ICD-10-CM.
