The F31.2 diagnosis code, as defined within the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), is a critical tool for healthcare professionals in the United States. It specifically designates Bipolar disorder, current episode manic severe with psychotic features. This code is not just a label; it’s a gateway to appropriate treatment, accurate billing, and a deeper understanding of a patient’s mental health condition. This classification became effective on October 1, 2024, marking the latest update in the ongoing evolution of diagnostic precision in mental health.
Decoding F31.2: Bipolar Disorder, Manic Severe with Psychotic Features
F31.2 is a billable and specific ICD-10-CM code. This means it is recognized by healthcare systems for reimbursement purposes, allowing for clear and standardized communication in medical billing and insurance claims. The concise description, “Bipolar disord, crnt episode manic severe w psych features,” encapsulates the core components of this diagnosis.
This code falls under the broader category of Bipolar Disorder (F31) and pinpoints a current manic episode that is classified as severe and accompanied by psychotic features. Understanding each of these components is essential for healthcare providers:
- Bipolar Disorder: A mental health condition characterized by significant shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. These shifts oscillate between periods of elevated mood (mania or hypomania) and periods of depression.
- Current Episode Manic: This indicates the patient is presently experiencing a manic episode. Mania is marked by an abnormally elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, increased energy, and often inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, and impulsive behaviors.
- Severe: The severity specifier indicates that the manic episode is significant and causes marked impairment in social or occupational functioning or necessitates hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, or there are psychotic features.
- With Psychotic Features: This is a crucial element of the F31.2 diagnosis. Psychotic features during a manic episode can include hallucinations (experiencing sensory perceptions that are not real) or delusions (false beliefs that are firmly held despite contradictory evidence). These psychotic symptoms can be further categorized as mood-congruent (the content of the psychosis is consistent with the elevated mood, such as delusions of grandeur) or mood-incongruent (the content is not consistent with mania, such as persecutory delusions). Both mood-congruent and mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms are applicable under the F31.2 code.
Applicable Conditions for F31.2 Diagnosis
The F31.2 code is specifically applicable to a range of presentations within bipolar I disorder, ensuring accurate categorization. These include:
- Bipolar disorder, current episode manic with mood-congruent psychotic symptoms: This applies when the psychotic features align with the manic mood, such as delusions of inflated worth or power.
- Bipolar disorder, current episode manic with mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms: This is used when the psychotic features are not in line with the manic mood, for instance, delusions of persecution or paranoia during a manic phase.
- Bipolar I disorder, current or most recent episode manic with psychotic features: This clarifies that F31.2 is used within the context of Bipolar I disorder, where full manic episodes are experienced, and specifies that the current or most recent episode meets the criteria of mania with psychosis.
Synonyms and Related Terms for F31.2
Understanding the synonyms and related terms for F31.2 can aid in clinical communication and literature searches. Approximate synonyms include:
- Bipolar 1 disorder, manic episode, w psychotic features
- Bipolar 1 disorder, manic, severe, with psychosis
- Severe manic bipolar i disorder with psychotic features
- Severe manic bipolar i disorder with psychotic features, mood-congruent
- Severe manic bipolar i disorder with psychotic features, mood-incongruent
These terms all point towards the same clinical entity captured by the F31.2 diagnosis code, emphasizing the severe manic episode with the presence of psychosis in the context of Bipolar I disorder.
Historical Context of the F31.2 Code
The F31.2 code is a relatively recent addition to the ICD-10-CM, first introduced in 2016 (effective October 1, 2015). Since its inception, the code definition has remained consistent through the 2025 edition. This stability indicates a consensus in the medical community regarding the definition and categorization of this specific presentation of bipolar disorder. The consistent code history, with no changes from 2016 to 2025, underscores its established place in the diagnostic framework.
F31.2 and Related ICD-10-CM Codes
It’s also helpful to understand how F31.2 relates to adjacent codes within the ICD-10-CM system. Codes immediately preceding and following F31.2 provide a spectrum of bipolar disorder diagnoses:
- F31.1 Bipolar disorder, current episode manic without psychotic features: This code is for manic episodes that are severe but lack psychotic symptoms. Differentiating between F31.1 and F31.2 hinges on the presence or absence of psychosis.
- F31.3 Bipolar disorder, current episode depressed, mild or moderate severity: This code represents the depressive side of bipolar disorder, specifically for current episodes that are mild to moderate in severity.
- F31.5 Bipolar disorder, current episode depressed, severe, with psychotic features: This code addresses severe depressive episodes in bipolar disorder that also include psychotic features.
Understanding these adjacent codes helps to contextualize F31.2 within the broader spectrum of bipolar disorders and mood episodes, allowing for more precise diagnostic coding.
In Conclusion
The F31.2 diagnosis code is a vital tool for accurately classifying and understanding “Bipolar disorder, current episode manic severe with psychotic features.” Its specificity ensures appropriate clinical management, facilitates accurate billing processes, and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of bipolar spectrum disorders within the healthcare system. For professionals working in mental health, a thorough grasp of F31.2 and its related codes is indispensable for providing effective and comprehensive patient care.
