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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

R85.615Unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus

✓ Billable / specific

R85.615 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus. 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 R85.615

R85.615 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus. It belongs to category R85 (abnormal findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity), block R83-R89 (abnormal findings on examination of other body fluids, substances and tissues, 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 R85.61 (abnormal cytologic smear of anus), R85.615 is specifically for unsatisfactory cytologic smear of anus. Related codes cover atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance on cytologic smear of anus (ASC-US) (R85.610), atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (ASC-H) (R85.611), low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (LGSIL) (R85.612), high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on cytologic smear of anus (HGSIL) (R85.613), cytologic evidence of malignancy on smear of anus (R85.614), Satisfactory anal smear but lacking transformation zone (R85.616), other abnormal cytological findings on specimens from anus (R85.618) and unspecified abnormal cytological findings in specimens from anus (R85.619).

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 393 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC, relative weight 1.5881), DRG 394 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC, relative weight 0.9228) and DRG 395 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses without CC/MCC, relative weight 0.6382), in MDC 06 (Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System), 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 796.78 (unsatisfactory anal cytology smear).

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Inadequate sample of cytologic smear of anus

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to R85.615.

› From R85.61 Abnormal cytologic smear of anus
Excludes1
  • abnormal cytological findings in specimens from other digestive organs and abdominal cavity (R85.69)
  • carcinoma in situ of anus (histologically confirmed) (D01.3)
  • anal intraepithelial neoplasia I [AIN I] (K62.82)
  • anal intraepithelial neoplasia II [AIN II] (K62.82)
  • anal intraepithelial neoplasia III [AIN III] (D01.3)
  • dysplasia (mild) (moderate) of anus (histologically confirmed) (K62.82)
  • severe dysplasia of anus (histologically confirmed) (D01.3)
Excludes2
  • anal high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test positive (R85.81)
  • anal low risk human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA test positive (R85.82)
› From R85 Abnormal findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity
Includes
  • abnormal findings in peritoneal fluid
  • abnormal findings in saliva
Excludes1
  • cloudy peritoneal dialysis effluent (R88.0)
  • fecal abnormalities (R19.5)

Broader instructions also apply from R83-R89 Abnormal findings on examination of other body fluids, substances and tissues, without diagnosis and Chapter 18: Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified.

Alphabetic index entries

6 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to R85.615.

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 →
  • 796.78Unsatisfactory anal cytology smearexact

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 R85.615

Is R85.615 billable?

Yes. R85.615 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can R85.615 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict R85.615 as a principal diagnosis.

Is R85.615 a CC or MCC?

No. R85.615 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.

What DRG does R85.615 group to?

R85.615 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 393 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC), MS-DRG 394 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC) and MS-DRG 395 (Other Digestive System Diagnoses 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 R85.615?

The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map R85.615 to ICD-9-CM 796.78.