G80.4
BillableAtaxic cerebral palsy
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 192 — Cerebral Palsy, Except Quadriplegic
0.368V24HCC 74 — Cerebral Palsy
0.000ESRDHCC 74 — Cerebral Palsy
0.000What This Code Means
A type of cerebral palsy characterized by poor coordination, balance problems, and unsteady movements due to damage to the cerebellum.
Coding Tips
- •Ataxic cerebral palsy is the least common form; document gait disturbance and coordination difficulties
- •May present with tremor and hypotonia; ensure accurate documentation of muscle tone characteristics
Clinical Significance
Ataxic cerebral palsy represents a rare form of cerebral palsy with cerebellar involvement, resulting in significant coordination and balance deficits that affect all aspects of daily function. This diagnosis is critical for risk adjustment as it identifies patients requiring ongoing multidisciplinary care including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and adaptive equipment. Accurate capture ensures appropriate resource allocation for this lifelong neurological condition.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Specific type of cerebral palsy documented as 'ataxic'
- ✓Description of cerebellar signs: poor coordination, intention tremor, wide-based gait, dysmetria
- ✓Functional impact on activities of daily living and mobility
- ✓Muscle tone assessment (typically hypotonia in ataxic type)
- ✓Current treatment plan including therapies and assistive devices
- ✓Status as active, ongoing condition being monitored or treated
Commonly Confused Codes
G80.0 Spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy — involves all four limbs with spasticity rather than ataxiaG80.1 Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy — primarily affects lower extremities with spasticity, not coordination deficitsG80.8 Other cerebral palsy — used for mixed types; ataxic should use G80.4 when clearly documentedG11.0 Congenital nonprogressive ataxia — hereditary ataxia not related to cerebral palsyR27.0 Ataxia, unspecified — symptom code only, not used when cerebral palsy is the established diagnosis