2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H44.023Vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral

ICD-10-CM Codes›H00–H59›H43-H44›H44

ICD-10-CM H44.023
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H44.023 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 121 through 122. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Uveitis and ocular inflammation.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H44.023
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral
Short Description
Vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H44.02
Vitreous abscess (chronic)

Code Classification

ChapterH00–H59Diseases of the eye and adnexa
SectionH43-H44Disorders of vitreous body and globe
CategoryH44Disorders of globe
This CodeH44.023Vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EYE004
Uveitis and ocular inflammation
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H44.023 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
360.04 Vitreous abscess
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About H44.023Overview

Is H44.023 (Vitreous abscess (chronic)) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does H44.023 group to?

When vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 121, 122, with relative weights from 0.7858 to 1.1633 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H44.023?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, vitreous abscess (chronic), bilateral converts to ICD-9-CM 360.04 (vitreous abscess). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.