F84.5
BillableAsperger's syndrome
HCC Category Mapping
RxHCCHCC 133 — Personality Disorders, Anxiety, and Other Specified Mental Disorders
0.000What This Code Means
A developmental condition characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication, along with restricted or repetitive interests and behaviors, but with normal language and cognitive development.
Coding Tips
- •Verify that language development and cognitive abilities are within normal range to distinguish from other autism spectrum presentations
- •Document the specific social and behavioral difficulties observed
Clinical Significance
Asperger's syndrome is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior and interests, without the clinically significant language delay seen in classic autism. Although DSM-5 subsumed Asperger's under autism spectrum disorder, ICD-10-CM retains a separate code. Many patients and providers continue to use this diagnosis for individuals with average or above-average intelligence and intact language who have significant social deficits.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Provider documentation of Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's disorder diagnosis
- ✓Evidence of qualitative impairment in social interaction (e.g., impaired nonverbal behaviors, failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social reciprocity)
- ✓Evidence of restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities
- ✓Documentation that there was no clinically significant general delay in language or cognitive development
- ✓Current functional assessment and treatment plan including social skills interventions
Commonly Confused Codes
F84.0 — Autistic disorder; autism typically includes language delay, while Asperger's does notF84.9 — Pervasive developmental disorder, unspecified; use F84.5 specifically when Asperger's is documentedF80.89 — Social (pragmatic) communication disorder; social communication disorder lacks the restricted/repetitive behaviorsF84.8 — Other pervasive developmental disorders; use F84.5 for Asperger's, not the 'other' code