2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K92.1Melena
ICD-10-CM Codes›K00–K95›K90-K95›K92
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
K92.1 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for melena. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 377 through 379, 791, 793. 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 72 closely related codes. Coders also document this condition as blood clots in stool. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Blood clots in stool
- Blood-tinged feces
- Hematochezia
- Melena
- Melena due to gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
- occult blood in feces R19.5
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.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities See Also: Anomaly;
Hematochezia See Also: Melena; K92.1
Melena K92.1
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Melena
the black, tarry, foul-smelling feces that contain degraded blood.Feces
excrement from the intestines, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and bacteria of the digestive system.
Patient EducationClinical
Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Your digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine or colon, rectum, and anus. Bleeding can come from any of these areas. The amount of bleeding can be so small that only a lab test can find it.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert K92.1 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About K92.1Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for melena?
The ICD-10-CM code for melena is K92.1 (sometimes written as K921). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Is K92.1 (Other diseases of digestive system) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report melena on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does K92.1 group to?
When melena is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 377, 378, 379, 791, 793, with relative weights from 0.6304 to 4.1696 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is K92.1 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists K92.1 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2026. 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 72 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of K92.1?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, melena converts to ICD-9-CM 578.1 (blood in stool). The mapping is a direct match.
