Version 2024
No Valid Principal Dx

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R46

Symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior

ICD-10-CM Code:
R46
ICD-10 Code for:
Symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior
      (R40-R46)
      • Symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
        (R46)

R46 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Specific Coding Applicable to Symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior

Non-specific codes like R46 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior:

  • Use R46.0 for Very low level of personal hygiene - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.1 for Bizarre personal appearance - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.2 for Strange and inexplicable behavior - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.3 for Overactivity - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.4 for Slowness and poor responsiveness - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.5 for Suspiciousness and marked evasiveness - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.6 for Undue concern and preoccupation with stressful events - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.7 for Verbosity and circumstantial detail obscuring reason for contact - BILLABLE CODE

  • R46.8 for Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.81 for Obsessive-compulsive behavior - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use R46.89 for Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • appearance and behavior in schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders F20 F29
  • mental and behavioral disorders F01 F99

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.