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A39.81

Billable

Meningococcal encephalitis

This code does not map to an HCC category in any model (V28, V24, ESRD, RxHCC).

What This Code Means

This is a serious brain infection caused by meningococcal bacteria (Neisseria meningitidis) that causes inflammation of the brain tissue. It is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical treatment.

Coding Tips

  • •Verify documentation specifies meningococcal encephalitis rather than meningitis alone, as encephalitis indicates brain tissue inflammation beyond the meninges
  • •Check for sepsis documentation (A39.2-A39.4) as meningococcal infections frequently progress to septicemia, which may require additional coding

Code Hierarchy

└A39Meningococcal infection└A39.8Other meningococcal infections└A39.81Meningococcal encephalitis
└A39.81Meningococcal encephalitis

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