R79
Header — not billableOther abnormal findings of blood chemistry
The ICD-10 code for other abnormal findings of blood chemistry is R79.
R79 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 4 more specific codes below.
Clinical notes
Excludes1 (not coded here)
An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).
- asymptomatic hyperuricemia (E79.0)
- hyperglycemia NOS (R73.9)
- hypoglycemia NOS (E16.2)
- neonatal hypoglycemia (P70.3-P70.4)
- specific findings indicating disorder of amino-acid metabolism (E70-E72)
- specific findings indicating disorder of carbohydrate metabolism (E73-E74)
- specific findings indicating disorder of lipid metabolism (E75.-)
Use additional code
This code represents an underlying condition. When a related manifestation is also present, coding convention calls for an additional code to be listed after this one.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Documentation support
General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.
- •This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
- •Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
- •If the associated manifestation or related condition noted above is also documented, an additional code should be reported alongside this one.
- •As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.
Related codes in this category
- R70Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and abnormality of plasma viscositynon-billable header
- R71Abnormality of red blood cellsnon-billable header
- R73Elevated blood glucose levelnon-billable header
- R74Abnormal serum enzyme levelsnon-billable header
- R75Inconclusive laboratory evidence of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]
- R76Other abnormal immunological findings in serumnon-billable header
- R77Other abnormalities of plasma proteinsnon-billable header
- R78Findings of drugs and other substances, not normally found in bloodnon-billable header
- R79Other abnormal findings of blood chemistrynon-billable header