Guidelines › Level of detail in coding
Level of detail in coding
Official text from the FY2027 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. The wording is quoted exactly.
Guidelines I.B.2
“Diagnosis codes are to be used and reported at their highest number of characters available and to the highest level of specificity documented in the medical record.”
“A three-character code is to be used only if it is not further subdivided.”
Where this applies
This is a general rule. It applies to code assignment everywhere, not to one code or group of codes.
The Guidelines are the authority for assigning codes, and following them is required under HIPAA. This page quotes them for convenience and is not a substitute for the official document. See the Terms and Disclaimer.