Which manual is utilized specifically to code a medical diagnosis?

• A. CPT (Current Procedural Terminology)
• B. SNOMED CT
• C. ICD (International Classification of Disease)
• D. DSM-5

Answer: (C)

Diagnoses are captured with a standardized coding system that assigns a unique code to each medical condition for documentation, billing, and statistical tracking. The system designed specifically for listing medical diagnoses is the International Classification of Diseases. It provides a comprehensive set of codes that identify diseases, symptoms, and other health problems, allowing consistent communication across providers and payers.

Procedures and services are coded with CPT for billing those actions, not the diagnosis itself. DSM-5 outlines diagnostic criteria for mental disorders but isn’t used as the formal billing diagnosis coding system. SNOMED CT is a detailed clinical terminology used in electronic health records that can map to ICD codes, but the actual coding of diagnoses in most billing contexts relies on ICD. Therefore, ICD is the correct choice.