2025 ICD-10-CM code Z44
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Factors influencing health status and contact with health services - Encounters for other specific health care Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services Feed
Encounter for fitting and adjustment of an external prosthetic device.
ICD-10 codes do not utilize modifiers. Modifiers are used with CPT and HCPCS codes to provide additional information about the circumstances of the service provided.
Medical necessity for fitting and adjustment of a prosthetic device is established when the patient has a limb deficiency or other condition requiring a prosthetic device and the fitting and adjustments are necessary for proper function, mobility, and overall well-being.
The clinical responsibility for code Z44 falls on the physician or other qualified healthcare professional who performs the fitting, adjustment, removal, or replacement of the external prosthetic device. This may involve an orthotists, prosthetist, or other specialist depending on the specific device.
- Chapter 21: Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
- Z40-Z53: Encounters for other specific health care
In simple words: This code is used when someone goes to a doctor or other healthcare professional to have an artificial limb or other external prosthetic device fitted, adjusted, removed, or replaced.
This ICD-10-CM code classifies encounters for the fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic devices.This includes procedures such as the removal or replacement of an external prosthetic device.It excludes malfunctions or complications of the device, which should be coded separately.The code also excludes the mere presence of a prosthetic device.
Example 1: A patient visits a prosthetist for the initial fitting of a new artificial leg following an amputation.Code Z44.1 is used to describe this encounter., A patient returns to their prosthetist for adjustments to their existing prosthetic arm.Code Z44.01 or Z44.02 would be used, depending on whether the arm is complete or partial., A patient presents to a physical therapist for gait training after receiving a new prosthetic leg. Z44.1 is used along with the appropriate physical therapy procedure codes to accurately reflect the services performed.
Documentation should include the type of prosthetic device (e.g., artificial leg, arm, etc.), the reason for the encounter (fitting, adjustment, removal, replacement), and details of the procedures performed.Specific measurements and adjustments made to the prosthetic device should be recorded.Progress notes should reflect the patient's response to the fitting and adjustment.
** Z44 is a reason for encounter code. It should be used in conjunction with procedure codes (CPT or HCPCS) which reflect the actual services provided during the encounter.Always refer to the most current official ICD-10-CM coding guidelines for accurate coding practices.
- Revenue Code: Revenue codes will vary depending on the payer and the specific services provided.Consultation with payer-specific guidelines is recommended.
- RVU: RVUs are not directly associated with ICD-10 codes. Reimbursement is determined by the procedures performed, which would have corresponding CPT or HCPCS codes, and the associated RVUs.These RVUs will vary based on geographic location and payer.
- Global Days: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes. Global periods are associated with surgical procedures coded with CPT codes.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes. TC modifiers apply to CPT codes and indicate whether the service is the technical component or the professional component.
- Fee Schedule: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes. Fee schedules are associated with CPT and HCPCS codes, and vary according to payers and geographic locations.
- Specialties:Orthotists and Prosthetists, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Surgery (depending on the underlying condition requiring the prosthesis)
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center