Referrals for rehabilitation and general referrals: from when must the ICD-9 procedure code be entered
The Ministry of Health reminded, in a statement dated 8 October 2026, that general referrals and referrals for rehabilitation must include an ICD-9 procedure code. Patients and facilities should check whether their documents meet this requirement.
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What changes in referrals
The Ministry of Health announced in a statement on October 8, 2026, that general referrals and referrals for rehabilitation must include the procedure code according to the ICD-9 classification (Announcement regarding the obligation to indicate the ICD-9 procedure code in general referrals and referrals for rehabilitation – Ministry of Health). The document has been made available as a PDF file for download.
What is ICD-9
ICD-9 is the international classification of medical procedures that organizes treatments and services according to uniform codes. This allows facilities providing the service to clearly identify which procedure is to be performed and to settle it correctly.
Why is it important for the patient
The absence of a code in the document may hinder its processing and settlement by the facility providing the service. For the patient, this means the risk that the visit or procedure will be postponed, and the referral will need to be supplemented or reissued.
Who is obligated
The requirement applies to doctors issuing general referrals and referrals for rehabilitation. Before issuing the document, they should check whether the procedure code has been included.
What to do before the visit
Patients should check their referral before visiting the clinic or rehabilitation center to ensure it includes the ICD-9 procedure code. It is worth verifying whether the document contains a field for the procedure code, and not just the diagnosis or patient data. If the code is missing, they should contact the issuing doctor to supplement the document before going to the facility.
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