ICD-10 Code for Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most frequently ordered lab panels in primary care, and also one of the most frequently miscoded — mostly because E55.9 gets used as a catch-all even when a more specific or entirely different code would tell the real story better.

E55.9 covers vitamin D deficiency, unspecified, and it’s the code most practices reach for by default. That’s usually fine for a routine finding. But if the deficiency has progressed to a related condition — osteomalacia in adults or rickets in children — billing E55.9 alone understates what’s actually being treated, and can undercut the medical necessity for the more intensive follow-up care that condition requires.

FY 2027 ICD-10-CM (CMS, eff. 10/1/2026) · CPT 2026 (AMA) · Last verified: October 2026

Quick Answer

E55.9

Vitamin D deficiency, unspecified

E55.9 is billable and is the right code for a lab-confirmed deficiency with no complications yet. If there’s bone involvement, code the complication as well — E55.9 alone won’t justify that level of care.

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ICD-10 Code for Vitamin D Deficiency: Full Code List and Related Diagnoses

ICD-10 Code Description Billable
E55.9 MOST USED Vitamin D deficiency, unspecified ✓
E55.0 Rickets, active ✓
M83.9 Adult osteomalacia, unspecified ✓
M83.8 Other adult osteomalacia ✓
Z13.21 Encounter for screening for nutritional disorder ✓
E58 Dietary calcium deficiency ✓

CPT Codes Commonly Billed With This Diagnosis

CPT Code Description Medicare Rate* Common Modifiers
82306 Vitamin D; 25 hydroxy, includes fraction(s), if performed ~$30 -59
82652 Vitamin D; 1, 25 dihydroxy, includes fraction(s), if performed ~$38 -59
99213 Office visit, established patient, low complexity ~$95 -25
99395 Preventive visit, established patient, 18-39 years ~$122 -25
77080 DXA bone density scan, axial skeleton ~$39 -26, -TC

*Approximate 2026 CMS national non-facility rate. Lab test rates are from the 2026 CMS Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule. Rates vary by geography, setting, and payer contract. Refer to the CMS Physician Fee Schedule for official rates.

Which Medical Specialty Handles This?

Most vitamin D deficiency is caught and managed entirely in primary care or family medicine — a lab result, a supplement recommendation, a recheck in a few months. It becomes a different conversation when the deficiency has caused bone changes: adult osteomalacia usually involves closer monitoring in geriatric medicine, where fall and fracture risk make the finding more urgent. In children, it's tracked under pediatrics, where rickets carries its own distinct code and management pathway.

Common Billing & Documentation Mistakes

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Screening Lab Billed Without a Covered Diagnosis Code

Medicare and many commercial payers don’t cover routine vitamin D screening (82306) without a qualifying diagnosis or risk factor on the claim — billing it under a wellness visit alone, without documented risk factors, is a common reason for non-payment.

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Osteomalacia Not Coded When Clinically Present

If the chart documents bone pain, muscle weakness, or a DXA scan supporting osteomalacia, billing only E55.9 misses the more clinically significant diagnosis and can undersupport a DXA scan or specialist referral.

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Repeat Testing Without Documented Treatment Response

Retesting vitamin D levels within a payer’s coverage interval without documenting why — inadequate response to supplementation, new symptoms — is a frequent reason for denied repeat labs.

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Supplement Recommendation Not Documented as Part of the Plan

A diagnosis of E55.9 without a corresponding treatment plan in the note looks incomplete on review, even when supplementation was, in fact, recommended verbally.

Coding Tips

  • Use E55.9 for a straightforward lab-confirmed deficiency with no complications — it’s the right default, not a shortcut.
  • If there’s documented bone pain, fracture, or a DXA scan supporting it, add M83.9 alongside E55.9 to reflect the full clinical picture.
  • Document a specific risk factor (limited sun exposure, malabsorption, chronic kidney disease, obesity) when ordering 82306 outside of a wellness visit — it supports medical necessity far better than 'check vitamin D' alone.
  • Note the treatment plan explicitly — dosage and recheck interval — every time E55.9 is billed, even on a routine follow-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ICD-10 code for vitamin D deficiency?

E55.9 for a general, uncomplicated deficiency. If it has led to bone changes, add M83.9 (adult osteomalacia) or E55.0 (active rickets, in children) alongside it.

Is vitamin D screening covered by insurance?

Not automatically. Medicare and most commercial payers require a documented risk factor or symptom — not just a routine wellness check — to cover 82306.

What’s the difference between E55.9 and M83.9?

E55.9 is the deficiency itself, based on a lab result. M83.9 is a separate, more serious diagnosis — adult osteomalacia, meaning the deficiency has actually caused bone softening. They can be billed together when both are clinically present.

What CPT code is used to test vitamin D levels?

82306 covers the standard 25-hydroxy vitamin D test, used to diagnose deficiency in the vast majority of cases. 82652 (1,25-dihydroxy) is a different, less commonly ordered test typically reserved for kidney-related cases.

How does OmniMD support vitamin D deficiency documentation?

OmniMD’s EHR flags when a vitamin D test is ordered without a documented risk factor or symptom on file, helping avoid the coverage denials that come with screening-only orders, and prompts for a treatment plan and recheck interval automatically.

Stop Losing Reimbursement on Routine Screening Labs

OmniMD flags missing risk-factor documentation before the claim goes out, not after it’s denied.

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