New Data Highlight: Z Codes Utilization among Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Beneficiaries in 2017

Office of Minority Health

A Look at the Reporting of Social Determinants of Health Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries 

CMS is pleased to release a new data highlight that provides insight into the reporting of social determinants of health (SDOH) for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries using data from the ICD-10 codes. 

Click here to read the new data highlight: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-omh-january2020-zcode-data-highlightpdf.pdf

In light of the growing awareness of the importance of SDOH in patient health outcomes and the need for the collection and documentation of this data in clinical settings to improve patient care, ICD-10 SDOH Z Codes Utilization among Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Beneficiaries in 2017 data highlight is the first analysis that looks into the reporting of ICD-10 Z codes, which identify individuals with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances.  This analysis shows that in the future, with an increase in data collection, ICD-10 Z codes offer great opportunity to standardize this capture of SDOH in medical practice and billing to provide more information about Medicare beneficiaries.

Learn more about the CMS Office of Minority Health at go.cms.gov/omh or contact us at OMH@cms.hhs.gov.