The proposed codes were presented at a March 6 meeting of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) ICD-10-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee and are out for public comment. If CMS adopts the codes, they will go into effect Oct. 1, 2020.

Z55 Problems related to education and literacy
Excludes1: disorders of psychological development (F80-F89)
New code Z55.5 Less than a high school degree
New code Z55.6 High school diploma or GED
Z56 Problems related to employment and unemployment
Excludes2: occupational exposure to risk factors (Z57.-)
problems related to housing and economic circumstances (Z59.-)
Z56.8 Other problems related to employment
New code Z56.83 Unemployed and seeking work
New code Z56.84 Unemployed but not seeking work
New code Z56.85 Employed part time or temporary
New code Z56.86 Employed full time
Z59 Problems related to housing and economic circumstances
Excludes2: problems related to upbringing (Z62.-)
New subcategory Z59.6 Low Income
New code Z59.61 Unable to pay for prescriptions
New code Z59.62 Unable to pay for utilities
New code Z59.63 Unable to pay for medical care
Z59.64 Unable to pay for transportation for medical appointments or prescriptions
New code Z59.65 Unable to pay for phone
New code Z59.66 Unable to pay for adequate clothing
New code Z59.67 Unable to find or pay for child care
New code Z59.69 Unable to pay for other needed items
Z59.9 Problem related to housing and economic circumstances, unspecified
New code Z59.91 Worried about losing housing
Z60 Problems related to social environment
Z60.8 Other problems related to social environment
New code Z60.81 Unable to deal with stress
New code Z60.82 Inadequate social interaction – limited to once or twice a week
New code Z60.83 Can hardly ever count on family and friends in times of trouble
New code Z60.84 Feeling unsafe in current location
New code Z60.85 Stressed quite a bit or very much
New code Z60.86 Stressed somewhat

Source: AAPC