F50.021
BillableAnorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type, moderate
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 153 — Personality Disorders and Dissociative Disorders
1.241RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
Anorexia nervosa where the person restricts food intake but also engages in binge eating and purging behaviors, at moderate severity with noticeable functional and medical impact.
Coding Tips
- •Binge eating/purging type indicates the presence of both restriction and compensatory behaviors like vomiting or laxative use
- •Moderate severity suggests significant functional impairment and medical complications requiring active treatment
Clinical Significance
Anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type involves episodes of binge eating and/or purging (self-induced vomiting, laxative/diuretic misuse) in a patient who meets low-weight criteria for anorexia nervosa. Moderate severity with BMI 16-16.99 kg/m2 indicates significant nutritional and metabolic compromise from combined restriction and purging. This subtype carries additional risks of electrolyte imbalances, esophageal tears, and dental erosion compared to the restricting type.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation of binge eating episodes and/or purging behaviors (vomiting, laxatives, diuretics) in the context of low body weight
- ✓Current BMI or weight documenting severity (BMI 16.00-16.99 kg/m2)
- ✓Distinction from bulimia nervosa (patient must meet low-weight criteria for anorexia nervosa)
- ✓Frequency of binge/purge episodes
- ✓Medical monitoring for purging complications (electrolytes, dental health, esophageal integrity, cardiac status)
Commonly Confused Codes
F50.01x (Anorexia nervosa, restricting type) — NO binge/purge behaviors present in restricting typeF50.2x (Bulimia nervosa) — patient is at NORMAL or above-normal weight, unlike anorexia nervosa binge/purge typeF50.81x (Binge eating disorder) — no compensatory purging behaviors and typically overweight/obeseF50.00 (Anorexia nervosa, unspecified) — use the specific type code when binge/purge behaviors are documentedE87.6 (Hypokalemia) — common complication to code separately
Code Hierarchy
└F50Eating disorders└F50.0Anorexia nervosa└F50.02Anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type└F50.021Anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type, moderate
└F50.021Anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type, moderate