The F43.21 Diagnosis code is a critical component of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) system. Specifically, F43.21 is designated for Adjustment disorder with depressed mood. This code is essential for healthcare professionals in the United States for accurate diagnosis, medical billing, and statistical tracking of this particular mental health condition.
As a billable/specific code, F43.21 is recognized by insurance providers for reimbursement purposes, highlighting its clinical and administrative relevance. The 2025 edition of the ICD-10-CM, which became effective on October 1, 2024, includes F43.21, ensuring its current validity and application in medical practice. It is important to note that while F43.21 is the American ICD-10-CM version, international adaptations of ICD-10 may have variations of this code.
To fully understand F43.21, it’s helpful to consider its approximate synonyms. These include terms like:
- Adjustment reaction, depressive, brief
- Adjustment reaction, depressive, prolonged
- Bereavement, complicated
- Brief depressive adjustment reaction
- Complicated bereavement
- Complicated grieving
- Prolonged depressive adjustment reaction
These synonyms provide a broader context for the F43.21 diagnosis, indicating situations where an individual experiences depressive symptoms as a reaction to identifiable stressors. The code encompasses both brief and prolonged reactions, as well as conditions related to complicated bereavement or grieving processes.
Within the ICD-10-CM hierarchy, F43.21 falls under the category of Adjustment disorders (F43.2), which is part of the broader group of Reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders (F43). Understanding this hierarchical structure is crucial for navigating the ICD-10-CM system and accurately classifying related conditions. Codes adjacent to F43.21, such as F43.20 (Adjustment disorder, unspecified), F43.22 (Adjustment disorder with anxiety), and F43.23 (Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood), provide further differentiation within the spectrum of adjustment disorders.
The code history of F43.21 shows that it was introduced in 2016 (effective October 1, 2015) as a new code in the ICD-10-CM system. Since then, it has remained unchanged through the 2025 edition, indicating its established and consistent use in medical classifications.
For diagnosis-related grouping, ICD-10-CM code F43.21 is categorized within Diagnostic Related Groups (MS-DRG v42.0). This grouping is relevant for hospital reimbursement and utilization review, further emphasizing the practical application of this diagnosis code in healthcare administration.
In conclusion, the F43.21 diagnosis code is a specific and billable code within the ICD-10-CM system, used to classify Adjustment disorder with depressed mood. Its understanding is vital for healthcare providers, medical coders, and insurance professionals for accurate diagnosis, billing, and data analysis related to this common mental health condition triggered by stress.
