F40.240
BillableClaustrophobia
HCC Category Mapping
RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
An intense, irrational fear of enclosed or confined spaces such as elevators, small rooms, or crowded areas.
Coding Tips
- •Document the specific enclosed spaces that trigger the fear to support medical necessity
- •Distinguish from agoraphobia (F40.0) which involves fear of open or public spaces
Clinical Significance
Claustrophobia is a situational type specific phobia involving intense fear of enclosed or confined spaces such as elevators, tunnels, MRI machines, or small rooms. This phobia has direct healthcare implications as it can prevent patients from undergoing necessary diagnostic procedures like MRI scans or CT scans. It does not carry risk adjustment value.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Marked fear or anxiety about enclosed or confined spaces
- ✓Specific triggering situations documented (elevators, tunnels, MRI machines, airplanes, etc.)
- ✓Consistent anxiety response upon exposure or anticipation
- ✓Avoidance behaviors and their impact on daily functioning and healthcare access
- ✓Duration of 6+ months
- ✓Management strategies (e.g., open MRI alternatives, anxiolytic pre-medication, behavioral therapy)
Commonly Confused Codes
F40.248 (Other situational type phobia) — Use F40.240 specifically for enclosed space phobia; F40.248 covers other situational phobiasF40.241 (Acrophobia) — Fear of heights is distinct from fear of enclosed spaces though both are situational phobiasF40.00 (Agoraphobia, unspecified) — Agoraphobia involves fear of open/crowded spaces and difficulty escaping; claustrophobia is about confinementF41.0 (Panic disorder) — Panic attacks in enclosed spaces should be distinguished from claustrophobia; they can coexist