2025 ICD-10-CM code B96
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Infectious and parasitic diseases - Bacterial and viral infectious agents Certain infectious and parasitic diseases Feed
Other bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere.
The medical necessity for this code is established by the diagnosis of the underlying condition and the identification of the bacterial agent contributing to the disease process.
Clinicians should use this code in conjunction with other codes identifying the disease(s) or condition(s) caused by the bacterial agent.It should follow the primary disease or condition code and not be used as the first-listed diagnosis.
In simple words: This code identifies specific bacteria causing an infection, used alongside the code for the infection itself. It helps specify which bacteria is causing a disease diagnosed with a different code.
This code is used as a supplementary or additional code to identify specific bacteria as causes of diseases classified elsewhere. It should not be used as the primary diagnosis code.
Example 1: A patient is diagnosed with pneumonia (J18.9) and lab tests confirm the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae.B96 would be used as a secondary code to specify the bacterial agent., A patient has a urinary tract infection (N39.0) caused by Escherichia coli. B96 is used as a secondary code following N39.0 to identify E. coli as the causative agent., A patient with a skin infection (L08.9) is found to have Pseudomonas aeruginosa. B96 is used as a secondary code to indicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the causative agent.
Documentation should include the diagnosis of the primary condition and laboratory results confirming the presence of the specific bacterial agent.
- Specialties:Infectious Disease, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, other medical specialties depending upon the site of infection.
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, On Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Off Campus-Outpatient Hospital, Office, Independent Clinic, Federally Qualified Health Center, and other places of service depending upon the location of service.