F20 - Schizophrenia

Version 2023
Non-Billable Code
ICD-10:F20
Short Description:Schizophrenia
Long Description:Schizophrenia
Status: Not Valid for Submission
Version:ICD-10-CM 2023
Code Classification:
  • Mental and behavioural disorders (F00–F99)
    • Schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional, and other non-mood psychotic disorders (F20-F29)
      • Schizophrenia (F20)

F20 is a non-specific and non-billable ICD-10 code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2023 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.

Clinical Information

Specific Coding for Schizophrenia

Non-specific codes like F20 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10 codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for schizophrenia:

  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.0 for Paranoid schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.1 for Disorganized schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.2 for Catatonic schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.3 for Undifferentiated schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.5 for Residual schizophrenia
  • NON-BILLABLE CODE - F20.8 for Other schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.81 for Schizophreniform disorder
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.89 for Other schizophrenia
  • BILLABLE CODE - Use F20.9 for Schizophrenia, unspecified

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

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


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.

Type 2 Excludes

Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

Patient Education


Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious brain illness. People who have it may hear voices that aren't there. They may think other people are trying to hurt them. Sometimes they don't make sense when they talk. The disorder makes it hard for them to keep a job or take care of themselves.

Symptoms of schizophrenia usually start between ages 16 and 30. Men often develop symptoms at a younger age than women. People usually do not get schizophrenia after age 45. There are three types of symptoms:

No one is sure what causes schizophrenia. Your genes, environment, and brain chemistry may play a role.

There is no cure. Medicine can help control many of the symptoms. You may need to try different medicines to see which works best. You should stay on your medicine for as long as your doctor recommends. Additional treatments can help you deal with your illness from day to day. These include therapy, family education, rehabilitation, and skills training.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder classified as a psychosis, which means that it affects a person's thinking, sense of self, and perceptions. The disorder typically becomes evident during late adolescence or early adulthood.

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia include false perceptions called hallucinations. Auditory hallucinations of voices are the most common hallucinations in schizophrenia, but affected individuals can also experience hallucinations of visions, smells, or touch (tactile) sensations. Strongly held false beliefs (delusions) are also characteristic of schizophrenia. For example, affected individuals may be certain that they are a particular historical figure or that they are being plotted against or controlled by others.

People with schizophrenia often have decreased ability to function at school, at work, and in social settings. Disordered thinking and concentration, inappropriate emotional responses, erratic speech and behavior, and difficulty with personal hygiene and everyday tasks can also occur. People with schizophrenia may have diminished facial expression and animation (flat affect), and in some cases become unresponsive (catatonic). Substance abuse and suicidal thoughts and actions are common in people with schizophrenia.

Certain movement problems such as tremors, facial tics, rigidity, and unusually slow movement (bradykinesia) or an inability to move (akinesia) are common in people with schizophrenia. In most cases these are side effects of medicines prescribed to help control the disorder. However, some affected individuals exhibit movement abnormalities before beginning treatment with medication.

Some people with schizophrenia have mild impairment of intellectual function, but schizophrenia is not associated with the same types of physical changes in the brain that occur in people with dementias such as Alzheimer disease.

Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are different from mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder, which primarily affect emotions. However, these disorders often occur together. Individuals who exhibit strong features of both schizophrenia and mood disorders are often given the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

Previous Code: F19.99

Next Code: F20.0