NOTE: All in-article links open in a new tab.

Z Codes for Skin Melanoma

Published on 

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

 | Coding 
 | FAQ 
Did you know?

Previously, there were only three ICD-10-CM codes to identify personal history of carcinoma in-situ. These sites only included the breast, cervix uteri, and other site. Effective October 1, 2019, six new codes were created for personal history of in-situ neoplasms (Z86.002 – Z86.007). Two of these sites are listed below:

  • Melanoma (Z86.006) (Personal history of melanoma in-situ)
  • Skin (Z86.007) (Personal history on in-situ neoplasm of skin)
Why Should I Care?

ICD-10-CM codes are used for numerous occasions, i.e., accurate payments, quality management, data statistics, public health reporting, etc. The more accurate and specific codes are reported, the more accurate and specific data outcomes will be.

What Should I Do?

Report the new codes, if the documentation describes more specific sites, to allow for more specific coding and reporting of personal history of carcinoma in-situ sites.

References Coding Clinic for ICD-10-CM/PCS, Fourth Quarter 2019: Page 19
Article Author: Susie James, RHIT, CCS
Susie James, RHIT, CCS, is the Manager of Inpatient Coding Services at MMP, Inc. Susie has worked in the coding field for over 30 years and has worked as a coder, coding supervisor, and corporate coding manager for a large multi-facility system in Birmingham. She also worked for Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF) as a coding reviewer/auditor before joining the team at Medical Management Plus, Inc. Susie has previously served as the President of the Alabama Association of Health Information Management (AAHIM) on the Board of Directors and currently serves as the Education/Coding Roundtable Chair. She is also a member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and has previously served as the Co-chair for AHIMA's Leadership Team. She also served as a facilitator at AHIMA's 85th National Convention in Atlanta Georgia.

This material was compiled to share information.  MMP, Inc. is not offering legal advice. Every reasonable effort has been taken to ensure the information is accurate and useful.