The main ICD-10 eating disorder codes are F50.0 for anorexia nervosa, F50.2 for bulimia nervosa, F50.81 for binge eating disorder, and F50.82 for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Anorexia subtypes, bulimia, and binge eating disorder carry an additional severity character in current ICD-10-CM, so select the specific billable subcode.
Quick Reference: Eating Disorder ICD-10 Codes
| Code | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F50.00 | Anorexia nervosa, unspecified | Use when the anorexia subtype is not yet specified |
| F50.01 | Anorexia nervosa, restricting type | Category code; carries an additional severity character |
| F50.02 | Anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type | Category code; carries an additional severity character |
| F50.2 | Bulimia nervosa | Category code; carries an additional severity character |
| F50.81 | Binge eating disorder | Category code; carries an additional severity character |
| F50.82 | Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) | Not driven by body-image concerns |
| F50.89 | Other specified eating disorder | Recognizable eating disorder outside the named categories |
| F50.9 | Eating disorder, unspecified | Temporary placeholder only |
Several of these are category codes, not final billable codes. In current ICD-10-CM, anorexia subtypes (F50.01, F50.02), bulimia nervosa (F50.2), and binge eating disorder (F50.81) carry an additional severity character, so the codes above identify the category but the claim requires the specific billable subcode. See the severity note below before you submit.
Anorexia Nervosa (F50.0x)
The short answer: anorexia nervosa lives in the F50.0 family, split by subtype.
- F50.00 anorexia nervosa, unspecified, when the subtype is not yet characterized.
- F50.01 anorexia nervosa, restricting type, where weight loss is achieved primarily through dieting, fasting, or excessive exercise.
- F50.02 anorexia nervosa, binge eating/purging type, where the person also engages in recurrent binge eating or purging behavior.
Billing note: F50.01 and F50.02 are category codes that carry an additional severity character in current ICD-10-CM. Select the specific billable subcode that matches the documented severity, for example F50.010 for anorexia nervosa, restricting type, mild.
Bulimia Nervosa (F50.2)
When to use: recurrent episodes of binge eating paired with recurrent inappropriate compensatory behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse, fasting, or excessive exercise), with self-evaluation unduly influenced by body shape and weight.
Billing note: bulimia nervosa is F50.2 at the category level. In current ICD-10-CM it carries an additional severity character (mild, moderate, severe, extreme, or in remission), so bill the specific billable subcode rather than the plain category code.
Binge Eating Disorder (F50.81)
When to use: recurrent episodes of binge eating with a sense of loss of control and marked distress, in the absence of the regular compensatory behaviors that characterize bulimia nervosa.
Billing note: binge eating disorder is F50.81. Like anorexia subtypes and bulimia, it carries an additional severity character in current ICD-10-CM, so select the specific billable subcode that reflects the documented severity.
ARFID and Other (F50.82, F50.89, F50.9)
- F50.82 avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID): an eating or feeding disturbance, such as avoidance based on sensory characteristics or lack of interest in eating, that is not driven by body-image concerns. That absence of body-image disturbance is the key differentiator from anorexia nervosa.
- F50.89 other specified eating disorder: a recognizable eating disorder that does not meet full criteria for a named category.
- F50.9 eating disorder, unspecified: use as a temporary placeholder when you do not yet have enough information to characterize the presentation.
Billing note: treat F50.9 as a temporary placeholder. Payers increasingly flag unspecified codes, so move to F50.89 or a specific characterized code as soon as your assessment supports it.
A Note on Severity Characters
Category codes are not always the final billable code. In current ICD-10-CM, anorexia subtypes (F50.01, F50.02), bulimia nervosa (F50.2), and binge eating disorder (F50.81) carry an additional severity character (mild, moderate, severe, extreme, or in remission). That means clinicians must select the specific billable subcode, for example F50.010 for anorexia nervosa, restricting type, mild, rather than submitting the shorter category code. The categories presented on this page identify the correct family; before you submit a claim, choose the severity-specific subcode and verify it against the current ICD-10-CM code set, because these codes are periodically updated.
Documentation
Strong eating disorder documentation should include:
Diagnostic features: the specific behaviors and cognitions that establish the diagnosis, such as restriction, binge episodes, compensatory behaviors, or feeding avoidance, with examples rather than a bare label.
Subtype and severity: for anorexia, the restricting versus binge-eating/purging subtype; and for anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, the severity level that drives the billable subcode.
Differential reasoning: a brief note distinguishing the presentation from adjacent diagnoses, for example ARFID (no body-image disturbance) versus anorexia nervosa.
Medical necessity: the functional, medical, and psychological impact that supports the level of care being provided.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the ICD-10 code for anorexia nervosa?
- Anorexia nervosa lives in the F50.0 family: F50.00 (anorexia nervosa, unspecified), F50.01 (restricting type), and F50.02 (binge-eating/purging type). In current ICD-10-CM the restricting and binge-eating/purging subtypes carry an additional severity character, so you must select the specific billable subcode (for example F50.010 for anorexia restricting type, mild) rather than billing the category code alone.
- What is the code for bulimia nervosa?
- Bulimia nervosa is F50.2. In current ICD-10-CM this diagnosis carries an additional severity character (mild, moderate, severe, extreme, or in remission), so you select the specific billable subcode that matches the documented severity and verify it against the current code set.
- What is the code for binge eating disorder?
- Binge eating disorder is F50.81. Like anorexia subtypes and bulimia, it carries an additional severity character in current ICD-10-CM, so choose the specific billable subcode that reflects the documented severity level.
- What is ARFID's code?
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is F50.82. It describes an eating or feeding disturbance (such as avoidance based on sensory characteristics or lack of interest in food) that is not driven by body-image concerns, which distinguishes it from anorexia nervosa.
- What if the eating disorder does not fit a specific category?
- Use F50.89 (other specified eating disorder) when the presentation is a recognizable eating disorder that does not meet full criteria for a named category, and F50.9 (eating disorder, unspecified) when you do not yet have enough information to characterize the presentation, such as at an initial evaluation.
Accurate eating disorder coding starts with the F50 block and remembering that anorexia subtypes, bulimia, and binge eating disorder carry a severity character in current ICD-10-CM. Identify the category, then select the specific billable subcode and verify it against the current code set.