2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R41.81Age-related cognitive decline

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R40-R46›R41

ICD-10-CM R41.81
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R41.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for age-related cognitive decline. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 884. The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to adult patients (age 15 through 124). 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 Nervous system signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R41.81
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Age-related cognitive decline
Short Description
Age-related cognitive decline
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R41.8
Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR40-R46Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior
CategoryR41Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness
This CodeR41.81Age-related cognitive decline

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R41.81.

Adult diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in adult cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The adult code edits apply to patients age range is 15–124 years inclusive (e.g., senile delirium, mature cataract).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Age-related cognitive decline
  • Aging
  • Old-age
  • Senility

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R41.81: its own notes plus those printed at R41, block R40-R46, and 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.

  • Senility NOS

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From R41 Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness applies to 16 codes
  • dissociative [conversion] disorders (F44.-)
  • mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology (G31.84)

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.

From Block R40-R46 Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior applies to 157 codes
  • symptoms and signs constituting part of a pattern of mental disorder (F01-F99)
From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
  • signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • 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 R41.81, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 6

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R41.81: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • F06.7 Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition
    age related cognitive decline (R41.81)
  • G30 Alzheimer's disease
    senility NOS (R41.81)
  • G31.1 Senile degeneration of brain, not elsewhere classified
    senility NOS (R41.81)
  • G31.84 Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology
    age related cognitive decline (R41.81)
  • R54 Age-related physical debility
    age-related cognitive decline (R41.81)
  • R54 Age-related physical debility
    senility NOS (R41.81)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SYM010
Nervous system signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Dementia

Dementia is a loss of mental functions that is severe enough to affect your daily life and activities. These functions include:

The full article covers:

  • What is dementia?
  • What are the types of dementia?
  • Who is at risk for dementia?
  • What are the symptoms of dementia?
  • How is dementia diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for dementia?
  • Can dementia be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert R41.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
797 Senility w/o psychosis
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About R41.81Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for age-related cognitive decline?

The ICD-10-CM code for age-related cognitive decline is R41.81 (sometimes written as R4181). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R41.81 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report age-related cognitive decline on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does R41.81 group to?

When age-related cognitive decline is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 884 (organic Disturbances and Intellectual Disability), which carries a relative weight of 1.5998. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R41.81 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the age-related cognitive decline is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

Who can R41.81 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks age-related cognitive decline against patient demographics: this code is intended for adult patients (age 15 through 124). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.