The diagnostic codes for Bipolar I Disorder are selected as follows:
1. The first three digits are 296.
2. The fourth digit is 0 if there is a single Manic Episode. For recurrent episodes, the fourth digit indicates the nature of the current episode (or, if the Bipolar I Disorder is currently in partial or full remission, the nature of the most recent episode) as follows: 4 if the current or most recent episode is a Hypomanic Episode or a Manic Episode, 5 if it is a Major Depressive Episode, 6 if it is a Mixed Episode, and 7 if the current or most recent episode is Unspecified.
3. The fifth digit (except for Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Hypomanic, and Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Unspecified) indicates the severity of the current episode if full criteria are met for a Manic, Mixed, or Major Depressive Episode as follows: 1 for Mild severity, 2 for Moderate severity, 3 for Severe Without Psychotic Features, 4 for Severe With Psychotic Features. If full criteria are not met for a Manic, Mixed, or Major Depressive Episode, the fifth digit indicates the current clinical status of the Bipolar I Disorder as follows: 5 for In Partial Remission, 6 for In Full Remission. If current severity or clinical status is unspecified, the fifth digit is 0. Other specifiers for Bipolar I Disorder cannot be coded. For Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Hypomanic, the fifth digit is always 0. For Bipolar Disorder, Most Recent Episode Unspecified, there is no fifth digit.
In recording the name of a diagnosis, terms should be listed in the following order: Bipolar I Disorder, specifiers coded in the fourth digit (e.g., Most Recent Episode Manic), specifiers coded in the fifth digit (e.g., Mild, Severe With Psychotic Features, In Partial Remission), as many specifiers (without codes) as apply to the current or most recent episode (e.g., With Melancholic Features, With Postpartum Onset), and as many specifiers (without codes) as apply to the course of episodes (e.g., With Rapid Cycling); for example, 296.54 Bipolar I Disorder, Most Recent Episode Depressed, Severe With Psychotic Features, With Melancholic Features, With Rapid Cycling.
Note that if the single episode of Bipolar I Disorder is a Mixed Episode, the diagnosis would be indicated as 296.0x Bipolar I Disorder, Single Manic Episode, Mixed.
