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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

R78.81Bacteremia

✓ Billable / specificCC — complication/comorbidity

R78.81 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for bacteremia. It can be reported on claims for dates of service from October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027.

Looking up by condition? See ICD-10 code for Bacteremia.

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 R78.81

R78.81 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Bacteremia. 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 R78.8 (finding of other specified substances, not normally found in blood), R78.81 is specifically for Bacteremia. Related codes cover finding of other specified substances, not normally found in blood (R78.89).

Don't report R78.81 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: sepsis-code to specified infection.

Use an additional code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-).

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 791 (Prematurity with Major Problems, relative weight 4.1075), DRG 793 (Full Term Neonate with Major Problems, relative weight 4.2195), DRG 870 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours, relative weight 6.9408), DRG 871 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC, relative weight 1.932) and DRG 872 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC, relative weight 1.0066), in MDC 15 (Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period) and MDC 18 (Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Systemic or Unspecified Sites), 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 771.83 (Bacteremia of newborn) and 790.7 (Bacteremia).

Coding notes

Excludes1Not coded here — never report together with this code
  • sepsis-code to specified infection

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to R78.81.

› 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 R78.81.

Codes whose notes reference R78.81

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.

MDC 15 · Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period

MDC 15 · Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Converter →
  • 771.83Bacteremia of newbornapproximate
  • 790.7Bacteremiaapproximate

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 R78.81

Is R78.81 billable?

Yes. R78.81 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can R78.81 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict R78.81 as a principal diagnosis.

Is R78.81 a CC or MCC?

R78.81 is a CC (complication or comorbidity) under MS-DRG v44.0, unless excluded by the principal diagnosis.

What DRG does R78.81 group to?

R78.81 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 791 (Prematurity with Major Problems), MS-DRG 793 (Full Term Neonate with Major Problems), MS-DRG 870 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours), MS-DRG 871 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC) and MS-DRG 872 (Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours 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 R78.81?

The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map R78.81 to ICD-9-CM 771.83 and 790.7.