Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code D51

Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

ICD-10-CM Code:
D51
ICD-10 Code for:
Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism
    (D50–D89)
    • Nutritional anemias
      (D50-D53)
      • Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
        (D51)

D51 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of vitamin b12 deficiency anemia. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia

Non-specific codes like D51 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for vitamin b12 deficiency anemia:

  • Use D51.0 for Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia due to intrinsic factor deficiency - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use D51.1 for Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia due to selective vitamin B12 malabsorption with proteinuria - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use D51.2 for Transcobalamin II deficiency - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use D51.3 for Other dietary vitamin B12 deficiency anemia - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use D51.8 for Other vitamin B12 deficiency anemias - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use D51.9 for Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, unspecified - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • vitamin B12 deficiency E53.8

Patient Education


Anemia

If you have anemia, your blood does not carry enough oxygen to the rest of your body. The most common cause of anemia is not having enough iron. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives the red color to blood. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Anemia has three main causes: blood loss, lack of red blood cell production, and high rates of red blood cell destruction.

Conditions that may lead to anemia include:

  • Heavy periods
  • Pregnancy
  • Ulcers
  • Colon polyps or colon cancer
  • Inherited disorders
  • A diet that does not have enough iron, folic acid or vitamin B12
  • Blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, or cancer
  • Aplastic anemia, a condition that can be inherited or acquired
  • G6PD deficiency, a metabolic disorder

Anemia can make you feel tired, cold, dizzy, and irritable. You may be short of breath or have a headache.

Your doctor will diagnose anemia with a physical exam and blood tests. Treatment depends on the kind of anemia you have.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

B Vitamins

The B vitamins are:

  • B1 (thiamine)
  • B2 (riboflavin)
  • B3 (niacin)
  • B5 (pantothenic acid)
  • B6
  • B7 (biotin)
  • B12
  • Folic acid

These vitamins help the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. They also help form red blood cells. You can get B vitamins from proteins such as fish, poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Leafy green vegetables, beans, and peas also have B vitamins. Many cereals and some breads have added B vitamins.

Not getting enough of certain B vitamins can cause diseases. A lack of B12 or B6 can cause anemia.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.