2025 ICD-10-CM code J30.89
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Other diseases of upper respiratory tract - Other allergic rhinitis Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) Feed
Other allergic rhinitis; this code is used when the specific allergen causing the allergic rhinitis is unknown.
Medical necessity for coding J30.89 is established when a patient exhibits clinical symptoms suggestive of allergic rhinitis but the specific causative allergen remains unidentified. The physician's documentation must clearly support the diagnosis and justify the use of this non-specific code instead of a more precise one.
The clinical responsibility for coding J30.89 rests with the physician or qualified healthcare professional who performs the examination, diagnoses the condition, and documents the findings.This includes ruling out alternative diagnoses and determining the appropriate level of specificity for coding based on the available information.
In simple words: This code describes allergies in the nose (allergic rhinitis) when the doctor doesn't know exactly what is causing the allergy.It's used when the symptoms are clearly allergic, but testing hasn't pinpointed the specific allergen (like pollen or pet dander).
This ICD-10-CM code, J30.89, classifies other allergic rhinitis.It's applied when a patient presents with symptoms consistent with allergic rhinitis, but the precise allergen responsible cannot be identified through diagnostic testing or clinical evaluation.The diagnosis should be supported by appropriate clinical documentation detailing the patient's symptoms, the diagnostic process undertaken to rule out other conditions, and the rationale for concluding that the rhinitis is allergic in nature.This code encompasses cases where more specific codes (e.g., J30.2 for pollen-induced rhinitis) are not applicable.
Example 1: A 35-year-old patient presents with nasal congestion, sneezing, and itchy eyes for several weeks.The physician performs a thorough history and physical examination, but allergy testing is inconclusive.J30.89 is used to code the other allergic rhinitis., A 10-year-old child exhibits symptoms of allergic rhinitis (runny nose, nasal congestion) but skin prick tests and blood tests do not reveal any specific allergen. The physician documents the symptoms, a negative allergy work-up, and concludes it's likely allergic rhinitis of unknown cause.J30.89 is the appropriate code., A 60-year-old patient with a history of multiple allergies experiences recurrent nasal symptoms.Despite extensive allergy testing, no single allergen can be definitively identified as the primary cause. The physician notes a history of various allergies, inconclusive testing, and typical allergic rhinitis symptoms, justifying the use of J30.89.
Detailed documentation is crucial for accurate coding. This includes a complete history of present illness describing symptoms, a record of any allergy testing performed (including results), and the physician's assessment outlining the diagnostic process and the reasoning behind choosing J30.89. The absence of a clearly identified allergen should be explicitly stated in the medical record.
** This code should only be used when other, more specific codes from the J30 category are not applicable due to an inability to pinpoint the precise allergen.Always ensure complete and accurate documentation to support the coding choice.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Allergy and Immunology, Otolaryngology, Family Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Clinic