2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R36.9Urethral discharge, unspecified
ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R30-R39›R36
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
R36.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for urethral discharge, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 695 through 696. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. Coders also document this condition as discharge from penis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Genitourinary signs and symptoms.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Discharge from penis
- Passive discharge of semen from urethra
- Urethral discharge
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R36.9: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 18. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Applicable To
Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.
- Penile discharge NOS
- Urethrorrhea
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
- Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
- The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
- (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
- (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
- (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
- (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
- (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
- (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name R36.9, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes2 1
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming R36.9: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
- Block R10-R19 Symptoms and signs involving the digestive system and abdomen
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Urethral Discharge
the flow of fluid from the urethra.
Patient EducationClinical
Urethral Disorders
The urethra is the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body. In men, it's a long tube that runs through the penis. It also carries semen in men. In women, it's short and is just above the vagina. Urethral problems may happen due to aging, illness, or injury. They include:
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert R36.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About R36.9Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for urethral discharge, unspecified?
The ICD-10-CM code for urethral discharge, unspecified is R36.9 (sometimes written as R369). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is R36.9 (Urethral discharge) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report urethral discharge, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does R36.9 group to?
When urethral discharge, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 696, 695, with relative weights from 0.6677 to 1.1136 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Can R36.9 be a principal diagnosis?
Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the urethral discharge, unspecified is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R36.9?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, urethral discharge, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 788.7 (urethral discharge). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
