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F23 ICD-10-CM Code: Brief psychotic disorder

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FY 2026 Apr update / Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99) / Schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders (F20-F29)

F23

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Brief psychotic disorder

A temporary mental health condition where a person experiences psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions that last for a short period, typically triggered by extreme stress.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Brief psychotic disorder is a temporary psychotic state lasting from one day to less than one month, often triggered by severe psychological stress.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 152

RAF 0.484

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 58

RAF 0.393

ACA/HHS

HCC 87.2

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 58

RAF 0.111

RXHCC

HCC 130

RAF 0.240

Code Book Path

Official
F2Schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders (F20-F29)
F23Brief psychotic disorder

Inclusion Terms

Official
  • Paranoid reaction
  • Psychogenic paranoid psychosis

Excludes 2

Official
  • mood [affective] disorders with psychotic symptoms (F30.2, F31.2, F31.5, F31.64, F32.3, F33.3)

Related Child Codes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list child codes under F23 for this display context.

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for F23 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for F23 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for F23 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for F23 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for F23 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech/behavior)
Duration specified as less than one month with full return to premorbid functioning
Identification of any precipitating stressor when present
Assessment by a qualified mental health professional ruling out other psychotic disorders

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech/behavior)
Duration specified as less than one month with full return to premorbid functioning
Identification of any precipitating stressor when present
Assessment by a qualified mental health professional ruling out other psychotic disorders

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Coding schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder when symptoms have lasted less than one month
Not documenting the duration of psychotic symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and schizophrenia
Failing to rule out substance-induced psychosis, which should be coded under F1X.X50/F1X.X51
Using this code when symptoms persist beyond one month without updating the diagnosis

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
F20.81 — Schizophreniform disorder lasts one to six months; brief psychotic disorder is under one month
F20.9 — Schizophrenia requires at least six months of symptoms
F22 — Delusional disorder requires at least one month of delusions
F19.950/F19.951 — Substance-induced psychotic disorder should be used when psychosis is caused by substance use

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is F23 an HCC code?

Yes. F23 maps to Psychosis, Except Schizophrenia under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Reactive and Unspecified Psychosis under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 152, Psychosis, Except Schizophrenia
0.484
V24HCC 58, Reactive and Unspecified Psychosis
0.393
ESRDHCC 58, Reactive and Unspecified Psychosis
0.111
RxHCCHCC 130, Schizophrenia
0.240

Each model's RAF is its CMS base weight for that model's standard population, so weights are not directly comparable across models: CMS-HCC V28 and V24 use Community, Non-Dual, Aged; ESRD uses the dialysis continuing-enrollee model; RxHCC is the Part D continuing-enrollee, non-low-income, aged weight (a larger scale than CMS-HCC). ACA/HHS has no single weight — it varies by metal level. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member segment, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains in use during the transition and for historical data.

Work F23 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for F23

For F23to count as a valid HCC diagnosis in a given encounter, the provider's documentation must show MEAT: Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat. A diagnosis from a prior year does not carry forward automatically, it has to be re-documented and supported each calendar year.

  • MMonitor: signs, symptoms, disease progression, or lab trending documented in the note
  • EEvaluate: test results, medication response, or physical findings reviewed by the provider
  • AAssess: explicit mention in the assessment or plan with acknowledgment of status
  • TTreat: medication, referral, procedure, therapy, or counseling tied to the diagnosis

Only one of M/E/A/T is required to support the code, but the documentation must be specific enough to show that the provider actually addressed F23 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

F23 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for brief psychotic disorder. A temporary mental health condition where a person experiences psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions that last for a short period, typically triggered by extreme stress. F23 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders (f01-f99), within the section covering schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders (f20-f29).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, F23 maps to Psychosis, Except Schizophrenia (HCC 152) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.484. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, F23 maps to Reactive and Unspecified Psychosis (HCC 58) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.393. V28 is the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model that reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition.

Specify the duration and whether psychotic symptoms are present or in remission. Because F23 maps to a payment HCC, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's Medicare Advantage risk adjustment score. When documentation is ambiguous, coders should issue a provider query rather than assume the highest-specificity variant.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for F23 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • •Specify the duration and whether psychotic symptoms are present or in remission
  • •Document the precipitating stressor when available to support medical necessity

Clinical Significance

Brief psychotic disorder is a temporary psychotic state lasting from one day to less than one month, often triggered by severe psychological stress. Patients experience a sudden onset of at least one psychotic symptom (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, or grossly disorganized behavior) and typically return to full premorbid functioning. While time-limited, the acute presentation can be severe and requires urgent psychiatric intervention and safety monitoring.

Documentation Requirements

  • ✓Documentation of psychotic symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech/behavior)
  • ✓Duration specified as less than one month with full return to premorbid functioning
  • ✓Identification of any precipitating stressor when present
  • ✓Assessment by a qualified mental health professional ruling out other psychotic disorders
  • ✓Safety assessment including risk of harm to self or others
  • ✓Follow-up plan to ensure symptoms have fully resolved and to monitor for recurrence

Excludes 2, Not included here, may code separately

Commonly Confused Codes

  • •F20.81: Schizophreniform disorder lasts one to six months; brief psychotic disorder is under one month
  • •F20.9: Schizophrenia requires at least six months of symptoms
  • •F22: Delusional disorder requires at least one month of delusions
  • •F19.950/F19.951: Substance-induced psychotic disorder should be used when psychosis is caused by substance use
  • •F06.0/F06.2: Psychotic disorder due to medical condition should be ruled out

Code Hierarchy

└F23Brief psychotic disorder
└F23Brief psychotic disorder

Because F23 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

F23 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 152, Psychosis, Except Schizophrenia. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works.

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