Date amended:
External
Statements of Principles
Current RMA Instruments:
Reasonable Hypothesis SOP
13 of 2016
Balance of Probabilities SOP
14 of 2016
Changes from previous Instruments:

ICD Coding:
  • CD-9-CM Codes: 307.1,307.50,307.51
  • ICD-10-AM Codes: F50.0, F50.2, F50.9
Breif description

This SOP covers anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and some other less common eating disorders as specified in the SOP definition.

Confirming the diagnosis

A report from a specialist psychiatrist that conforms with the Repatriation Commission Guidelines for Psychiatric Compensation Claims is required for diagnosis.

Additional diagnoses covered by SOP
  • anorexia nervosa
  • atypical anorexia nervosa
  • binge eating disorder
  • bulimia nervosa
  • night eating syndrome
  • purging disorder
Conditions not covered by SOP
  • loss of appetite of nonorganic origin#
  • avoidant / restrictive food intake disorder#
  • overeating associated with other psychological disturbances#
  • pica#
  • rumination disorder#

# non-SOP

Clinical onset

Clinical onset will be when the DSM-5 criteria for the relevant condition were first fulfilled.

Clinical worsening

The courses of these illnesses can be highly variable.  They tend to be of fluctuating severity.  The conditions eventually resolve with good outcomes in a proportion of patients but they may also be life-threatening and associated with serious complications and other psychiatric illnesses.  Treatment may be refused.  Establishing whether worsening beyond the normal course of the disease has occurred is likely to be very difficult and specialist opinion will be required.