F40.9
BillablePhobic anxiety disorder, unspecified
HCC Category Mapping
RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
A phobic anxiety disorder where the specific type or nature of the phobia is not documented or specified.
Coding Tips
- •Avoid using this code if the specific phobia can be identified; use more specific codes when possible
- •Request clarification from the provider about the specific phobic trigger for more accurate coding
Clinical Significance
Phobic anxiety disorder, unspecified, is used when a provider documents a phobia but does not specify the type or stimulus. This is the least specific code in the phobia category and should prompt a query for clarification whenever possible. It does not carry risk adjustment value under any HCC model.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Provider documentation of a phobic disorder or phobia
- ✓Evidence of fear, anxiety, or avoidance behavior
- ✓Impact on functioning
- ✓Current treatment if applicable
- ✓Reason why the type of phobia cannot be further specified
Commonly Confused Codes
F40.8 (Other phobic anxiety disorders) — Use F40.8 when the provider specifies the phobia but it does not match a named category; use F40.9 when truly unspecifiedF41.9 (Anxiety disorder, unspecified) — F40.9 is for phobic anxiety specifically; F41.9 is for non-phobic anxietyF40.10 (Social phobia, unspecified) — If social contexts are triggering the phobia, use the social phobia code
Code Hierarchy
└F40Phobic anxiety disorders└F40.9Phobic anxiety disorder, unspecified
└F40.9Phobic anxiety disorder, unspecified