2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q18.9Congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q10-Q18›Q18

ICD-10-CM Q18.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Q18.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 606 through 607. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Q18.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified
Short Description
Congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Q18
Other congenital malformations of face and neck

Code Classification

ChapterQ00-Q99Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
SectionQ10-Q18Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck
CategoryQ18Other congenital malformations of face and neck
This CodeQ18.9Congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Q18.9 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Autosomal recessive facio-digito-genital syndrome
  • Bone age finding
  • Brachymesophalangia
  • CDK13-related congenital heart defects, intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism syndrome
  • Cerebrofacial dysplasia
  • Congenital anomaly of anterior portion of neck
  • Congenital anomaly of face
  • Congenital anomaly of neck
  • Congenital cataracts, facial dysmorphism and neuropathy
  • Congenital deformity of face
  • Congenital fusion of kidneys
  • Congenital malformation of eye, ear and neck
  • Deafness craniofacial syndrome
  • Delayed bone age
  • Developmental delay, overweight, facial dysmorphism, behavioral abnormalities syndrome
  • Disorder of ornithine metabolism
  • Disturbance of hair cycle
  • Dysmorphic facies
  • Dysmorphic features
  • Ear, face and neck congenital anomalies
  • Essential tremor
  • Faciocardiorenal syndrome
  • Familial visceral neuropathy
  • Gingival fibromatosis
  • Gingival fibromatosis with facial dysmorphism syndrome
  • Global developmental delay, alopecia, macrocephaly, facial dysmorphism, structural brain anomalies syndrome
  • Hereditary essential tremor
  • Hereditary gingival fibromatosis
  • Heritable disorder of neutrophil function
  • Horseshoe kidney
  • Intellectual disability, muscle weakness, short stature, facial dysmorphism syndrome
  • Loose anagen hair syndrome
  • Macrothrombocytopenia, lymphedema, developmental delay, facial dysmorphism, camptodactyly syndrome
  • Megakaryocytic thrombocytopenia
  • Microcephaly, corpus callosum hypoplasia, intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism syndrome
  • Multiple malformation syndrome, moderate short stature, facial
  • Neurofaciodigitorenal syndrome
  • Noonan syndrome-like disorder with loose anagen hair
  • Oral-facial-digital syndrome with short stature and brachymesophalangia
  • Oro-facial digital syndrome type 9
  • Otofaciocervical syndrome
  • Otospondylomegaepiphyseal dysplasia
  • Palatal anomalies, widely spaced teeth, facial dysmorphism, developmental delay syndrome
  • PHIP-related behavioral problems, intellectual disability, obesity, dysmorphic features syndrome
  • Progressive essential tremor, speech impairment, facial dysmorphism, intellectual disability, abnormal behavior syndrome
  • Retinitis pigmentosa, hearing loss, premature aging, short stature, facial dysmorphism syndrome
  • Severe intellectual disability, agenesis of corpus callosum, facial dysmorphism, cerebellar ataxia syndrome
  • Short stature with valvular heart disease and characteristic facies syndrome
  • Thong Douglas Ferrante syndrome
  • TRAF7-associated heart defect, digital anomalies, facial dysmorphism, motor and speech delay syndrome
  • Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome
  • Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type 1 and 3
  • Visceral neuropathy and brain anomaly with facial dysmorphism and developmental delay syndrome
  • X-linked external auditory canal atresia, dilated internal auditory canal, facial dysmorphism syndrome

Tabular List NotesGuidance

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

Inclusion Terms

  • Congenital anomaly NOS of face and neck

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.

    • Anomaly, anomalous(congenital) (unspecified type)
      • cheek
    • Anomaly, anomalous(congenital) (unspecified type)
      • chin
    • Anomaly, anomalous(congenital) (unspecified type)
      • face
    • Anomaly, anomalous(congenital) (unspecified type)
      • neck (any part)
    • Deformity
      • cheek (acquired)
        • congenital
    • Deformity
      • chin (acquired)
        • congenital
    • Deformity
      • face (acquired)
        • congenital
    • Deformity
      • neck (acquired)
        • congenital

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MAL005
Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome

    benign childhood alopecia that improves spontaneously with aging. it is characterized by anagen hairs (misshapen hair bulbs and absent inner and outer root sheaths), thin, and sparse hairs that pulls out easily.

  • Essential Tremor

    a relatively common disorder characterized by a fairly specific pattern of tremors which are most prominent in the upper extremities and neck, inducing titubations of the head. the tremor is usually mild, but when severe may be disabling. an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance may occur in some families (i.e., familial tremor). (mov disord 1988;13(1):5-10)

  • Horseshoe Kidney

    a congenital abnormality in which the two kidneys fuse together during fetal development to create a horseshoe-shaped structure.

  • Essential Tremor

    a movement disorder characterized by involuntary and rhythmic shaking of parts of the body, most often the hands or arms, that can be triggered or worsened by physical or environmental stressors. essential tremor may be progressive and can be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.

Patient EducationClinical

Craniofacial Abnormalities

Craniofacial is a medical term that relates to the bones of the skull and face. Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some, like cleft lip and palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Others are very rare. Most of them affect how a person's face or head looks.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert Q18.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
744.9 Cong face/neck anom NOS
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

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 Q18.9Overview

Is Q18.9 (Other congenital malformations of face and neck) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does Q18.9 group to?

When congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 606, 607, with relative weights from 0.9064 to 1.5132 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is Q18.9 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Q18.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, congenital malformation of face and neck, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 744.9 (cong face/neck anom NOS). The mapping is a direct match.

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.