2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code F43.81Prolonged grief disorder

ICD-10-CM Codes›F01–F99›F40-F48›F43

ICD-10-CM F43.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

F43.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for prolonged grief disorder. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Coders also document this condition as abnormal grief reaction. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Trauma- and stressor-related disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
F43.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Prolonged grief disorder
Short Description
Prolonged grief disorder
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
F43.8
Other reactions to severe stress

Code Classification

ChapterF01–F99Mental and behavioural disorders
SectionF40-F48Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders
CategoryF43Reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders
This CodeF43.81Prolonged grief disorder

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Abnormal grief reaction
  • Dysfunctional grieving
  • Prolonged grief disorder
  • Stress and adjustment reaction
  • Stress-related problem

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Complicated grief
  • Complicated grief disorder
  • Persistent complex bereavement disorder

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Disorder(of)
      • bereavement, persistent complex
    • Disorder(of)
      • grief
        • complicated
    • Disorder(of)
      • grief
        • prolonged
    • Grief
      • complicated
    • Grief
      • prolonged

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR MBD007
Trauma- and stressor-related disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Prolonged Grief Disorder

    severe and disabling grief reactions that do not remit in the 12 months after the death of a significant other. the core of the diagnosis includes persistent yearning or missing the deceased, and preoccupation with the circumstance of the death. (carmassi, clinical handbook of bereavement and grief reactions, 2018)

Patient EducationClinical

Bereavement

Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after a death. When you grieve, it's part of the normal process of reacting to a loss. You may experience grief as a mental, physical, social or emotional reaction. Mental reactions can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness and despair.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Code History & ChangesHistory

Replacement F43.81 replaces the following previously assigned code(s):

  • F43.8 - Other reactions to severe stress
FY 2023AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2022.
FY 2024–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About F43.81Overview

Is F43.81 (Other reactions to severe stress) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report prolonged grief disorder on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.