2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R29.720NIHSS score 20

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R25-R29›R29

ICD-10-CM R29.720
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R29.720 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for NIHSS score 20. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor. 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 Cerebral infarction.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R29.720
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
NIHSS score 20
Short Description
NIHSS score 20
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R29.72
NIHSS score 20-29

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR25-R29Symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
CategoryR29Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
This CodeR29.720NIHSS score 20

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R29.720.

Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR CIR020
Cerebral infarction
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Convert R29.720 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
No Map There is no ICD-9 equivalent for this code.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2018AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2017.
FY 2019–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About R29.720Overview

Is R29.720 (NIHSS score 20-29) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report NIHSS score 20 on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can R29.720 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because NIHSS score 20 describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.