The use of a dummy placeholder “X” with ICD-10 codes is often necessary when a specific code is not available or when the provider does not have enough information to assign a more specific code.
The “X” placeholder is used in place of the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh characters in an ICD-10 code when a more specific code is not available. For example, if a patient has a diagnosis of “malignant neoplasm of unspecified site,” the ICD-10 code would be C80.X. The “X” serves as a placeholder for the missing characters, which could indicate the specific site of the cancer.
However, it is important to note that the use of the “X” placeholder should be limited to situations where a more specific code is not available, and it should not be used as a default code. Providers should always strive to assign the most specific ICD-10 code possible based on the available information.