F40.242

Billable

Fear of bridges

HCC Category Mapping

RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders

0.000

What This Code Means

An intense, irrational fear of crossing or being on bridges, which may limit travel and daily activities.

Coding Tips

•Document whether fear is specific to certain bridge types or all bridges
•Consider if this overlaps with acrophobia or agoraphobia and code accordingly

Clinical Significance

Fear of bridges (gephyrophobia) is a situational type specific phobia that can severely impact daily life, especially for individuals who must cross bridges for work or essential activities. It may involve fear of bridge collapse, water below, or the height/openness of the bridge. This phobia can limit geographic mobility and access to services.

Documentation Requirements

✓Marked fear or anxiety specifically about crossing bridges
✓Fear is disproportionate to actual danger
✓Consistent anxiety response when approaching or crossing bridges
✓Avoidance behaviors (alternate routes, inability to cross bridges)
✓Duration of 6+ months
✓Functional impact on daily commute, work, or social activities

Commonly Confused Codes

F40.241 (Acrophobia) — Height phobia may contribute to bridge fear but gephyrophobia is specifically about bridges F40.248 (Other situational type phobia) — Use the specific code F40.242 for bridge phobia rather than the residual category F40.00 (Agoraphobia, unspecified) — Bridge avoidance alone does not constitute agoraphobia

Code Hierarchy

└F40Phobic anxiety disorders └F40.2Specific (isolated) phobias └F40.24Situational type phobia └F40.242Fear of bridges

└F40.242Fear of bridges