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F43.22 ICD-10-CM Code: Adjustment disorder with anxiety

F43.22 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software

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FY 2026 Apr update / Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99) / Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders (F40-F48)

F43.22

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

Adjustment disorder with anxiety

This condition occurs when a person develops anxiety symptoms in response to a specific stressful life event or change, such as a job loss, relationship problem, or major life transition. The anxiety is more severe than what would be expected for the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Adjustment disorder with anxiety represents a reactive anxiety state developing within 3 months of an identifiable stressor.

CMS-HCC V28

N/A

Not mapped

CMS-HCC V24

N/A

Not mapped

ACA/HHS

N/A

Not mapped

ESRD/PACE

N/A

Not mapped

RXHCC

HCC 133

RAF 0.035

Code Book Path

Official
F43Reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders
F43.2Adjustment disorders
F43.22Adjustment disorder with anxiety

Inclusion Terms

Official
  • Culture shock
  • Grief reaction
  • Hospitalism in children

Excludes 2

Official
  • separation anxiety disorder of childhood (F93.0)

Related Child Codes

Official
F43.20Adjustment disorder, unspecified
F43.21Adjustment disorder with depressed mood
F43.23Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood
F43.24Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct
F43.25Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for F43.22 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for F43.22 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for F43.22 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for F43.22 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for F43.22 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Identifiable stressor documented
Anxiety as the predominant symptom (nervousness, worry, jitteriness)
Symptom onset within 3 months of the stressor
Symptoms do not meet criteria for GAD, panic disorder, or other specific anxiety disorders

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Identifiable stressor documented
Anxiety as the predominant symptom (nervousness, worry, jitteriness)
Symptom onset within 3 months of the stressor
Symptoms do not meet criteria for GAD, panic disorder, or other specific anxiety disorders

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Coding adjustment disorder with anxiety when symptoms actually meet criteria for GAD or another specific anxiety disorder
Not documenting the precipitating stressor
Using this code for chronic anxiety that has become associated with a recent stressor — consider whether a pre-existing anxiety disorder is being exacerbated
Failing to reassess the diagnosis when symptoms persist beyond 6 months after stressor resolution

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
F41.1 (Generalized anxiety disorder) — GAD is chronic (6+ months) and not reactive to a single stressor; adjustment disorder with anxiety is time-limited and reactive
F43.23 (Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood) — Use F43.22 when anxiety predominates without significant depression
F43.20 (Adjustment disorder, unspecified) — Use the specific subtype F43.22 when anxiety is the predominant feature
F41.0 (Panic disorder) — Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks; adjustment disorder may involve situational anxiety

Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →

Is F43.22 an HCC code?

F43.22 is not in the CMS-HCC V28 or V24 community payment model, but it does map to Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders under the Part D RxHCC model.

Code
F43.22
Description
Adjustment disorder with anxiety
HCC (V28)
No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
RAF
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

RxHCCHCC 133, Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.035

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 F43.22 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for F43.22

For F43.22 to 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 F43.22 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

F43.22 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for adjustment disorder with anxiety. This condition occurs when a person develops anxiety symptoms in response to a specific stressful life event or change, such as a job loss, relationship problem, or major life transition. The anxiety is more severe than what would be expected for the situation and interferes with daily functioning. F43.22 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders (f01-f99), within the section covering anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders (f40-f48).

F43.22 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

This code does not map to a CMS-HCC V28 payment category. Capture depends on documentation that supports the diagnosis; verify the HCC assignment against the current CMS mapping for the applicable payment year. Coders reviewing F43.22 should check whether additional documentation would support a more specific child code in the same hierarchy that does map to a payment HCC, capturing the correct specificity is the highest-impact RAF improvement available within accurate coding.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for F43.22 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Ensure documentation clearly identifies the specific stressor or triggering event, as this is essential for distinguishing adjustment disorder from other anxiety disorders
  • Verify that symptoms began within 3 months of the stressor and that the patient does not meet criteria for other anxiety or mood disorders, as adjustment disorders are diagnosed by exclusion

Clinical Significance

Adjustment disorder with anxiety represents a reactive anxiety state developing within 3 months of an identifiable stressor. It is distinguished from generalized anxiety disorder and other anxiety disorders by its reactive nature and expected time-limited course. Accurate coding helps differentiate patients needing short-term support from those with chronic anxiety disorders requiring ongoing treatment.

Documentation Requirements

  • Identifiable stressor documented
  • Anxiety as the predominant symptom (nervousness, worry, jitteriness)
  • Symptom onset within 3 months of the stressor
  • Symptoms do not meet criteria for GAD, panic disorder, or other specific anxiety disorders
  • Functional impairment or marked distress
  • Current treatment plan

Commonly Confused Codes

  • F41.1 (Generalized anxiety disorder): GAD is chronic (6+ months) and not reactive to a single stressor; adjustment disorder with anxiety is time-limited and reactive
  • F43.23 (Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood): Use F43.22 when anxiety predominates without significant depression
  • F43.20 (Adjustment disorder, unspecified): Use the specific subtype F43.22 when anxiety is the predominant feature
  • F41.0 (Panic disorder): Panic disorder involves recurrent unexpected panic attacks; adjustment disorder may involve situational anxiety

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

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