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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

R78.0Finding of alcohol in blood

✓ Billable / specific

R78.0 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for finding of alcohol in blood. 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 R78.0

R78.0 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for finding of alcohol in blood. It belongs to category R78 (findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood), block R70-R79 (abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis) and chapter 18 (symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified). It is billable, so it can be reported on its own for dates of service from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Within R78 (findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood), R78.0 is specifically for finding of alcohol in blood. Related codes cover opiate drug in blood (R78.1), cocaine in blood (R78.2), hallucinogen in blood (R78.3), other drugs of addictive potential in blood (R78.4), other psychotropic drug in blood (R78.5), steroid agent in blood (R78.6), abnormal level of heavy metals in blood (R78.7), other specified substances, not normally found in blood (R78.8) and 1 more.

Use an additional code for: external cause code (Y90.-), for detail regarding alcohol level. Use an additional code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-).

It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 894 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence, Left AMA, relative weight 0.6275), DRG 895 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence with Rehabilitation Therapy, relative weight 1.4266), DRG 896 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy with MCC, relative weight 1.6617) and DRG 897 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy without MCC, relative weight 0.8584), in MDC 20 (Alcohol/Drug Use and Alcohol/Drug Induced Organic Mental Disorders), 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 790.3 (excessive blood level of alcohol).

Coding notes

Use additional codeAdd a secondary code to fully describe the condition
  • external cause code (Y90.-), for detail regarding alcohol level.

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to R78.0.

› From R78 Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in blood
Excludes2
  • mental or behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19)
Use additional code
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Broader instructions also apply from R70-R79 Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis and Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified.

Alphabetic index entries

3 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to R78.0.

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 →
  • 790.3Excessive blood level of alcoholapproximate

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 R78.0

Is R78.0 billable?

Yes. R78.0 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can R78.0 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict R78.0 as a principal diagnosis.

Is R78.0 a CC or MCC?

No. R78.0 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.

What DRG does R78.0 group to?

R78.0 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 894 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence, Left AMA), MS-DRG 895 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence with Rehabilitation Therapy), MS-DRG 896 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy with MCC) and MS-DRG 897 (Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation Therapy without 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 R78.0?

The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map R78.0 to ICD-9-CM 790.3.