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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

H44.021Vitreous abscess (chronic), right eye

✓ Billable / specificCC — complication/comorbidity

H44.021 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for vitreous abscess (chronic), right eye. It can be reported on claims for dates of service from October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About H44.021

H44.021 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for vitreous abscess (chronic), right eye. It belongs to category H44 (disorders of globe), block H43-H44 (disorders of vitreous body and globe) and chapter 7 (diseases of the eye and adnexa). It is billable, so it can be reported on its own for dates of service from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Within H44.02 (vitreous abscess (chronic)), H44.021 is specifically for vitreous abscess (chronic), right eye. Related codes cover left eye (H44.022), bilateral (H44.023) and unspecified eye (H44.029).

As a secondary diagnosis it is a CC (complication or comorbidity), which can move an inpatient stay into the "with CC" MS-DRG of its family, unless the principal diagnosis excludes it.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 121 (Acute Major Eye Infections with CC/MCC, relative weight 1.2255) and DRG 122 (Acute Major Eye Infections without CC/MCC, relative weight 0.7406), in MDC 02 (Diseases and Disorders of the Eye), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

Before ICD-10, this condition was coded in ICD-9-CM as 360.04 (vitreous abscess).

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to H44.021.

› From H44.0 Purulent endophthalmitis
Excludes1
  • bleb associated endophthalmitis (H59.4-)
Use additional code
  • code to identify organism
› From H44 Disorders of globe
Includes
  • disorders affecting multiple structures of eye

Broader instructions also apply from Chapter 7: Diseases of the eye and adnexa.

MS-DRG v44.0 grouping

All DRGs →

Inpatient MS-DRGs this diagnosis can group to, as the principal or a secondary diagnosis, depending on the rest of the claim.

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Converter →
  • 360.04Vitreous abscessapproximate

From the CMS 2018 General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs), the final GEMs release.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about H44.021

Is H44.021 billable?

Yes. H44.021 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can H44.021 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict H44.021 as a principal diagnosis.

Is H44.021 a CC or MCC?

H44.021 is a CC (complication or comorbidity) under MS-DRG v44.0, unless excluded by the principal diagnosis.

What DRG does H44.021 group to?

H44.021 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 121 (Acute Major Eye Infections with CC/MCC) and MS-DRG 122 (Acute Major Eye Infections without CC/MCC). Which one applies depends on whether it is the principal diagnosis and on the rest of the claim.

What is the ICD-9 code for H44.021?

The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map H44.021 to ICD-9-CM 360.04.