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2025 ICD-10-CM code B96.8

Other specified bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere.

Code B96.8 is always used as a secondary code, never as the primary diagnosis. It should be used in conjunction with the code that identifies the disease or condition caused by the bacteria.

Medical necessity for the use of this code is established by the confirmation of a specific bacterial agent as the cause of a disease or condition classified elsewhere.The bacterial agent must be clearly documented and linked to the condition.

The provider's responsibility is to identify the specific bacteria causing the disease and document it accordingly, using this code as a supplementary code to the primary diagnosis.

In simple words: This code indicates that a specific bacteria, not otherwise coded, is causing an illness diagnosed with another code.It's used as a supplementary code alongside the main diagnosis code.

This code is used to identify specific bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere. This code is not used as the principal diagnosis and should be used in conjunction with other codes to fully specify the disease or condition.

Example 1: A patient has pneumonia (J18.9) confirmed to be caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. B96.8 would be used to specify the bacterial agent, supplementing the pneumonia diagnosis. , A patient presents with urinary tract infection (N39.0) caused by Morganella morganii. B96.8 would be used in conjunction with N39.0 to denote the causative agent., A patient with cellulitis (L03.90) is found to have an infection caused by Serratia marcescens.B96.8 is used to further identify the bacterial agent causing the cellulitis.

Documentation should clearly specify the bacterial agent identified as the cause of the disease classified elsewhere. Lab reports or other diagnostic tests confirming the bacterial agent should be included in the medical record.

** This code is intended for specific bacteria not represented by other codes within the ICD-10-CM classification. It is important to correctly identify and document the specific bacteria in order to justify the use of B96.8.

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