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ICD-10 Coding for Early Onset Dementia(G30.0, F02.81)

Complete ICD-10-CM coding and documentation guide for Early Onset Dementia. Includes clinical validation requirements, documentation requirements, and coding pitfalls.

Also known as:

Young Onset DementiaPresenile Dementia

Related ICD-10 Code Ranges

Complete code families applicable to Early Onset Dementia

G30-G32Primary Range

Other degenerative diseases of the nervous system

This range includes Alzheimer's disease codes, which are primary for early onset dementia.

Mental disorders due to known physiological conditions

This range includes codes for dementia manifestations, which are used alongside primary Alzheimer's codes.

Code Comparison: When to Use Each Code

Compare key differences between these codes to ensure accurate selection

CodeDescriptionWhen to UseKey Documentation
G30.0Alzheimer's disease with early onsetUse when Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed with symptom onset before age 65.
  • Symptom onset before age 65
  • MRI showing hippocampal atrophy
  • CSF biomarkers indicating Alzheimer's pathology
F02.81Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere with behavioral disturbanceUse when dementia is accompanied by behavioral disturbances.
  • Documented behavioral disturbances such as aggression or agitation

Clinical Decision Support

Always review the patient's clinical documentation thoroughly. When in doubt, choose the more specific code and ensure documentation supports it.

Key Information: ICD-10 code for early onset dementia

Essential facts and insights about Early Onset Dementia

The ICD-10 code for early onset dementia due to Alzheimer's is G30.0, paired with F02.81 for behavioral disturbances.

Primary ICD-10-CM Codes for early onset dementia

Alzheimer's disease with early onset
Billable Code

Decision Criteria

clinical Criteria

  • Symptom onset before age 65 with confirmed Alzheimer's pathology

coding Criteria

  • Requires additional F02.8- code for dementia manifestations

Applicable To

  • Early-onset Alzheimer's disease

Excludes

  • Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (G30.1)

Clinical Validation Requirements

  • Symptom onset before age 65
  • MRI showing hippocampal atrophy
  • CSF biomarkers indicating Alzheimer's pathology

Code-Specific Risks

  • Misclassification of onset age
  • Omission of required manifestation code

Coding Notes

  • Always sequence G30.0 first, followed by the appropriate F02.8- code.

Ancillary Codes

Additional codes that should be used in conjunction with the main diagnosis codes when applicable.

Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere with behavioral disturbance

F02.81
Use to specify behavioral disturbances in Alzheimer's disease.

Differential Codes

Alternative codes to consider when ruling out similar conditions to the primary diagnosis.

Alzheimer's disease with late onset

G30.1
Use G30.1 for symptom onset at age 65 or older.

Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere without behavioral disturbance

F02.80
Use F02.80 when no behavioral disturbances are present.

Documentation & Coding Risks

Avoid these common documentation and coding issues when documenting Early Onset Dementia to ensure proper reimbursement, maintain compliance, and reduce audit risk. These guidelines are particularly important when using ICD-10 code G30.0.

Impact

Clinical: Inaccurate treatment planning due to incomplete clinical picture., Regulatory: Potential non-compliance with coding standards., Financial: Loss of potential reimbursement for higher complexity care.

Mitigation Strategy

Ensure detailed documentation of any behavioral symptoms., Use structured templates to capture all necessary information.

Impact

Reimbursement: May result in lower reimbursement due to incomplete coding., Compliance: Non-compliance with ICD-10 coding guidelines., Data Quality: Inaccurate representation of patient condition in medical records.

Mitigation Strategy

Always pair G30.0 with an appropriate F02.8- code to specify dementia manifestations.

Impact

Risk of audits due to missing secondary codes for dementia manifestations.

Mitigation Strategy

Implement regular training sessions on ICD-10 coding rules for dementia.

Documentation errors, coding pitfalls, and audit risks are interconnected aspects of medical coding and billing. Addressing all three areas helps ensure accurate coding, optimal reimbursement, and regulatory compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ICD-10 coding for Early Onset Dementia, with expert answers to help guide accurate code selection and documentation.

Documentation Templates for Early Onset Dementia

Use these documentation templates to ensure complete and accurate documentation for Early Onset Dementia. These templates include all required elements for proper coding and billing.

Early Onset Alzheimer's with Behavioral Disturbance

Specialty: Neurology

Required Elements

  • Patient age and symptom onset age
  • MRI and biomarker results
  • Detailed behavioral symptoms

Example Documentation

Diagnosis: Early-onset Alzheimer's dementia with aggressive behavior. Onset at age 58. MRI shows hippocampal atrophy. CSF Aβ42 low, p-tau elevated. Aggressive outbursts during personal care.

Examples: Poor vs. Good Documentation

Poor Documentation Example
Dementia, early onset
Good Documentation Example
Early-onset Alzheimer's dementia (G30.0) with 3+ weekly episodes of combativeness during ADL care (F02.81), CSF Aβ42 492 pg/mL
Explanation
The good example specifies the type of dementia, onset age, and includes behavioral disturbances with supporting clinical data.

Need help with ICD-10 coding for Early Onset Dementia? Ask your questions below.

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