Use of social determinants of health z codes was sparse, 2016-22

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, introduced Z codes to document social determinants of health. Based on an analysis of commercial claims, Z codes doubled in prevalence from 2016 to 2022, yet they remained sparsely used and varied widely by state, domain, and age group. On average, annual total health care spending for person-years with Z codes was more than twice as high as for person-years without them.