ICD-10 F15 Stimulant Codes: Meth,

The F15 category — other stimulant related disorders — is where ICD-10-CM puts methamphetamine, amphetamine, prescription stimulants, and (surprisingly to most coders) caffeine. For treatment centers across the West and Midwest, methamphetamine is the dominant presenting substance, which makes F15 one of the most-used code families on facility charts even though searchers rarely use the letter-number “F15” itself.

This guide covers every billable F15 code in the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code set, the use–abuse–dependence hierarchy, methamphetamine-induced psychosis documentation, and what payers expect on stimulant-related claims at each level of care.

All codes below were verified against the FY2026 ICD-10-CM tabular list published by CMS ( FY2026 ICD-10-CM files, cms.gov ↗ ), effective October 1, 2025. Part of the ICD-10 behavioral health directory.

F15 at a glance

F15 covers stimulant-related disorders other than cocaine:

Two boundary rules prevent the most common miscodes:

• Methamphetamine — the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index routes methamphetamine to “stimulant NEC,” which lands in F15
• Amphetamines and amphetamine-type substances (the FY2026 tabular lists “amphetamine-related disorders” as an inclusion term under F15)
• Prescription stimulants — methylphenidate and amphetamine salts used outside therapeutic intent
• Caffeine — the Alphabetic Index routes caffeine abuse and dependence to “stimulant NEC,” and caffeine-specific inclusion terms appear under several F15 subcodes

• Cocaine is not F15. The FY2026 tabular carries an Excludes2 note pointing cocaine-related disorders to F14. If the chart says cocaine, code F14. (See our F14 cocaine coding guide.)
• MDMA/ecstasy is not F15 either. The FY2026 tabular lists “ecstasy” as an inclusion term under F16 (hallucinogen related disorders), so MDMA-related diagnoses code to F16, not to the stimulant family.

The three stems

Like the rest of the F10–F19 block, F15 is organized into three stems:

DSM-5-TR no longer separates “abuse” and “dependence” as diagnoses — it uses a single stimulant use disorder graded mild, moderate, or severe — but ICD-10-CM retains the three-stem structure, and DSM-5-TR’s own coding notes map mild to the.1- codes and moderate/severe to the.2- codes (described here in our own words; consult DSM-5-TR directly for criteria).

Complete F15 code table (FY2026)

Every billable F15 code, grouped by stem. Codes and titles verified against the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code descriptions file.

F15.1- — Other stimulant abuse

F15.2- — Other stimulant dependence

F15.9- — Other stimulant use, unspecified

All 48 codes above are billable (valid-for-submission) codes in the FY2026 code set. The 4-character roots (F15.1, F15.2, F15.9) and 5-character headers (F15.12, F15.15, etc.) are not billable on their own.

Patient uses multiple substances? There is no “polysubstance” shortcut in ICD-10-CM — each documented substance gets its own code. See our F19 other-psychoactive-substance guide for the full rule.

Methamphetamine coding

“Meth abuse ICD-10” is one of the most-searched phrases in this family, and the answer is the F15 stems above: the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index routes methamphetamine to “Dependence, drug, stimulant NEC” (and the parallel abuse entry), which lands in F15. There is no methamphetamine-specific code — meth, amphetamine, and prescription stimulants all share the F15 family.

Meth-induced psychosis vs. a primary psychotic disorder

The highest-stakes documentation decision in this family is whether psychotic symptoms are stimulant-induced (F15.x5x) or represent a primary psychotic disorder (F20–F29 block). The distinction changes the code family, the treatment plan, and often the level-of-care determination. Documentation that supports the induced-disorder code should establish:

When psychosis persists long after cessation, clinicians should document the differential explicitly — a chart that says only “psychosis, meth user” forces the coder to query. If the provider ultimately diagnoses a primary psychotic disorder alongside a stimulant use disorder, both are coded (the F15 code and the F20–F29 code), sequenced by the reason for the encounter.

• Temporal relationship — symptoms developed during or soon after stimulant intoxication or withdrawal
• Substance capability — the documented substance is capable of producing the symptoms (methamphetamine clearly is; see NIDA’s methamphetamine research overview ↗ for clinical context)
• Symptoms not better explained by a psychotic disorder that preceded use or persists well beyond acute effects

Prescription stimulants: ADHD medication use vs. F15 disorder

Therapeutic use of prescribed stimulants — Adderall, Vyvanse, methylphenidate — taken as directed is not an F15 diagnosis. ICD-10-CM’s substance use guidelines apply to documented abuse, dependence, or clinically significant use; a patient stable on an ADHD prescription is coded for the ADHD itself (F90.-), not for stimulant use.

F15 enters the chart when documentation supports a use disorder involving the prescription stimulant: escalating doses beyond the prescription, obtaining medication from multiple sources, continued use despite documented harm, or meeting DSM-5-TR use-disorder criteria (described in the provider’s own clinical language). For coders, the trigger is the provider’s diagnostic statement — “stimulant use disorder, moderate, involving prescription amphetamine” codes to F15.20; “taking Adderall as prescribed for ADHD” codes to F90.- with no F15 code at all.

Caffeine-related disorders

Caffeine is the quiet resident of F15. The FY2026 tabular lists “caffeine” as an inclusion term at the F15 category level, and the Alphabetic Index routes caffeine abuse and dependence to “stimulant NEC.” Three caffeine-specific landing spots are verified in the FY2026 code set:

In behavioral health practice these are rarely reportable as principal diagnoses — they matter mainly when caffeine-induced symptoms complicate the differential for anxiety or sleep complaints, or when a documented caffeine withdrawal syndrome is clinically managed. Code them only when the provider explicitly documents the caffeine-induced condition; do not infer from a notation of heavy coffee use.

The use–abuse–dependence hierarchy and remission rules

The ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, Section I.C.5.b.2 ( FY2026 guidelines, cms.gov ↗ ), set a strict hierarchy when provider documentation mentions more than one severity level for the same substance — only one code is assigned:

For remission, Section I.C.5.b.3 requires the provider’s explicit documentation of remission — a coder may not infer remission from a period of negative urine screens. The guidelines map mild stimulant use disorder in early or sustained remission to F15.11, and moderate or severe stimulant use disorder in remission to F15.21 (paraphrased; the mapping appears in the guideline text and as inclusion terms in the tabular). F15.91 exists for remission documented without severity.

At step-down transitions (residential → PHP → IOP), resist the urge to switch to a remission code just because the patient is abstinent in a controlled environment — remission is a clinical judgment the provider must state.

Documentation requirements and billing

Methamphetamine-heavy caseloads concentrate at residential and PHP levels of care, and stimulant claims draw payer scrutiny in two predictable places:

1. Withdrawal-management claims. Stimulant withdrawal is real and codable (F15.13/.23/.93), but unlike alcohol or opioid withdrawal it is not typically managed with a medication protocol, so payers question medically-monitored detox claims anchored only to F15.23. Documentation should describe the observed withdrawal syndrome (hypersomnia, dysphoria, agitation), safety risks ( suicidality during the “crash” is the classic one), and why the level of care is required. Claims for residential treatment ( H0017, H0018, H0019 ) and PHP/IOP ( H0035, H0015 ) should tie the F15 code to ASAM-dimension findings — see our guide to ASAM criteria and payer authorization.

2. Psychosis-complication claims. F15.x5x codes legitimately support higher-intensity placement — psychotic symptoms raise Dimension 3 acuity — but the note must contain the psychotic symptom documentation itself (delusions vs. hallucinations drives the 6th character), not just the code. A claim carrying F15.250 with a note that never mentions delusions is an audit finding waiting to happen.

For intake assessment and counseling services commonly billed alongside F15 diagnoses, see H0001 (alcohol and/or drug assessment), H0004 (behavioral health counseling), and H0005 (group counseling), plus psychotherapy codes 90791 and 90837. The full CPT mental-health code directory ties each service code to its documentation requirements.

Revenue-cycle teams running stimulant-heavy censuses should audit how often unspecified codes (F15.90, F15.929) appear on claims — chronic use of unspecified codes where the chart supports specificity is a denial pattern payers track. scrubs claims pre-submission, and your clearinghouse adds a second scrubbing pass; our behavioral health RCM platform overview covers diagnosis-driven claim scrubbing in more depth.

Treatment planning for stimulant use disorders

No FDA-approved medication currently exists for methamphetamine or amphetamine use disorder, so treatment plans lean on behavioral interventions — contingency management has the strongest evidence base for stimulant use disorders, alongside CBT and the Matrix Model (clinical overview only; treatment selection belongs to the care team). That makes measurable behavioral objectives the backbone of the plan: session attendance, contingency-management milestone completion, sleep restoration markers during early recovery, and psychotic-symptom resolution tracking where induced psychosis complicated admission.

Each F15 diagnosis on the plan should anchor SMART goals that utilization reviewers can score for progress. See our treatment plan templates and SMART goals guide for structure and review cadence.

FAQ

What is the ICD-10 code for meth use? Methamphetamine codes to the F15 family. Uncomplicated presentations: F15.10 (abuse/mild), F15.20 (dependence/moderate-severe), F15.90 (use, unspecified).

What is the ICD-10 code for methamphetamine use disorder? Mild → F15.1- codes; moderate or severe → F15.2- codes, with final characters for intoxication, withdrawal, or induced disorders.

What is the amphetamine dependence code? F15.20 (uncomplicated). Amphetamine and methamphetamine share the same F15 codes — ICD-10-CM does not distinguish between them.

What is F15.20? Other stimulant dependence, uncomplicated — the base code for moderate-to-severe stimulant use disorder without documented complications.

Does F15 include cocaine? No — cocaine has its own category, F14. The FY2026 tabular excludes cocaine-related disorders from F15.

Where does caffeine code? Under F15. Caffeine withdrawal is an inclusion term at F15.93; caffeine-induced anxiety and sleep disorders index to F15.980 and F15.982.

• CMS, FY2026 ICD-10-CM Code Descriptions and Tabular List (effective Oct 1, 2025) — cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/icd-10-codes ↗ (accessed 2026-06-12)
• CMS, FY2026 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, Section I.C.5.b — fy-2026-icd-10-cm-coding-guidelines.pdf ↗ (accessed 2026-06-12)
• CDC/NCHS, ICD-10-CM — cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd-10-cm ↗ (accessed 2026-06-12)
• NIDA, Methamphetamine research topic — nida.nih.gov/research-topics/methamphetamine ↗ (accessed 2026-06-12)

Reference tables

Common questions

Official sources

• FY2026 ICD-10-CM files, cms.govcms.gov
• NIDA’s methamphetamine research overviewnida.nih.gov
• FY2026 guidelines, cms.govcms.gov
• cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd-10-cmcdc.gov