2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A68.0Louse-borne relapsing fever
ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A65-A69›A68
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
A68.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for louse-borne relapsing fever. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 867 through 869. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 56 closely related codes. Coders also document this condition as relapsing fever caused by Borrelia recurrentis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Parasitic, other specified and unspecified infections.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Relapsing fever caused by Borrelia recurrentis
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to A68.0: its own notes plus those printed at A68, block A65-A69, and Chapter 1. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Includes
Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.
- recurrent fever
- diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible
Applicable To
Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.
- Relapsing fever due to Borrelia recurrentis
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
Use Additional Code
Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.
- code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Carapata (disease) A68.0
Disease, diseased See Also: Syndrome;
Carapata A68.0
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Louse-Borne Relapsing Fever
an infection that is caused by certain species of rickettsia or borrelia, which are transmitted to humans from infected lice; it is characterized by sudden fever, chills, headaches, myalgia, arthralgia, nausea, and possibly a rash. symptoms usually persist for two to nine days, then disappear, with recurrence after several weeks if the patient remains untreated.Relapsing Fever
an acute infection characterized by recurrent episodes of pyrexia alternating with asymptomatic intervals of apparent recovery. this condition is caused by spirochetes of the genus borrelia. it is transmitted by the bites of either the body louse (pediculus humanus corporis), for which humans are the reservoir, or by soft ticks of the genus ornithodoros, for which rodents and other animals are the principal reservoirs.
Patient EducationClinical
Bacterial Infections
Bacteria are tiny organisms (living things) that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods, or spirals. They can be found almost everywhere on Earth. There are lots of bacteria in and on your body. In fact, your body has about 10 times more bacteria cells than human cells.
The full article covers:
- What are bacteria?
- How do bacterial infections spread?
- What are the treatments for bacterial infections?
- Can bacterial infections be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert A68.0 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About A68.0Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for louse-borne relapsing fever?
The ICD-10-CM code for louse-borne relapsing fever is A68.0 (sometimes written as A680). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is A68.0 (Relapsing fevers) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report louse-borne relapsing fever on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does A68.0 group to?
When louse-borne relapsing fever is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 867, 869, 868, with relative weights from 0.6784 to 2.1855 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is A68.0 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists A68.0 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 56 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of A68.0?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, louse-borne relapsing fever converts to ICD-9-CM 087.0 (louse-borne relaps fever). The mapping is a direct match.
