2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R17Unspecified jaundice
ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R10-R19›R17
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
R17 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified jaundice. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 441 through 443. 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 21 closely related codes. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Abdominal pain and other digestive/abdomen signs and symptoms.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Acute cholestatic jaundice syndrome
- Bilirubin level - finding
- Bilirubin level above reference range
- Cholestatic jaundice caused by drug
- Cholestatic jaundice syndrome
- Chronic cholestatic jaundice syndrome
- Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia
- Direct bilirubin above reference range
- Finding of color of limb
- Hepatocellular jaundice
- Inherited renal tubule insufficiency with cholestatic jaundice
- Jaundice
- Jaundiced appearance of face
- Jaundiced appearance of limbs
- Maternal perinatal jaundice
- Obstructive hyperbilirubinemia
- Postoperative jaundice
- Total bilirubin above reference range
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
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.
Icterus See Also: Jaundice;
conjunctiva R17
symptomatic R17
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Jaundice
a clinical manifestation of hyperbilirubinemia, characterized by the yellowish staining of the skin; mucous membrane; and sclera. clinical jaundice usually is a sign of liver dysfunction.Jaundice, Chronic Idiopathic
a benign, autosomally recessive inherited hyperbilirubinemia characterized by the presence of a dark pigment in the centrilobular region of the liver cells. there is a functional defect in biliary excretion of bilirubin, cholephilic dyes, and porphyrins. affected persons may be asymptomatic or have vague constitutional or gastrointestinal symptoms. the liver may be slightly enlarged, and oral and intravenous cholangiography fails to visualize the biliary tract.Jaundice, Neonatal
yellow discoloration of the skin; mucous membrane; and sclera in the newborn. it is a sign of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. most cases are transient self-limiting (physiological neonatal jaundice) occurring in the first week of life, but some can be a sign of pathological disorders, particularly liver diseases.Jaundice, Obstructive
jaundice, the condition with yellowish staining of the skin and mucous membranes, that is due to impaired bile flow in the biliary tract, such as intrahepatic cholestasis, or extrahepatic cholestasis.Weil Disease
a severe form of leptospirosis, usually caused by leptospira interrogans serovar icterohaemorrhagiae and occasionally other serovars. it is transmitted to humans by the rat and is characterized by hemorrhagic and renal symptoms with accompanying jaundice.
Patient EducationClinical
Jaundice
Jaundice causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. Too much bilirubin causes jaundice. Bilirubin is a yellow chemical in hemoglobin, the substance that carries oxygen in your red blood cells. As red blood cells break down, your body builds new cells to replace them. The old ones are processed by the liver.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert R17 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About R17Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for unspecified jaundice?
The ICD-10-CM code for unspecified jaundice is R17. It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Is R17 (Unspecified jaundice) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified jaundice on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does R17 group to?
When unspecified jaundice is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 441, 442, 443, with relative weights from 0.6997 to 1.7947 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is R17 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists R17 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 21 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
Can R17 be a principal diagnosis?
Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the unspecified jaundice is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.
