2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R41.83Borderline intellectual functioning

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R40-R46›R41

ICD-10-CM R41.83
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R41.83 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for borderline intellectual functioning. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 951. 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. Coders also document this condition as below average intellect. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Nervous system signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R41.83
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Borderline intellectual functioning
Short Description
Borderline intellectual functioning
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 CodeR41.83Borderline intellectual functioning

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R41.83.

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.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Below average intellect
  • Borderline intellectual disability
  • Intelligence quotient low
  • Low intelligence

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R41.83: 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.

  • IQ level 71 to 84

Excludes1

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

On R41.83 itself
  • intellectual disabilities (F70-F79)
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 R41.83, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R41.83: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • Block F70-F79 Intellectual disabilities
    borderline intellectual functioning, IQ above 70 to 84 (R41.83)

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 No · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Mental Disorders

Mental disorders (or mental illnesses) are conditions that affect your thinking, feeling, mood, and behavior. They may happen over a short period of time or come and go. Some can be chronic (long-lasting). They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day..

The full article covers:

  • What are mental disorders?
  • What are some types of mental disorders?
  • What causes mental disorders?
  • Who is at risk for mental disorders?
  • How are mental disorders diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for mental disorders?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert R41.83 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
V62.89 Psychological stress NEC
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 R41.83Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for borderline intellectual functioning?

The ICD-10-CM code for borderline intellectual functioning is R41.83 (sometimes written as R4183). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R41.83 a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does R41.83 group to?

On inpatient claims, borderline intellectual functioning maps to MS-DRG 951 (other Factors Influencing Health Status), which carries a relative weight of 0.5574. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R41.83 be a principal diagnosis?

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

Can R41.83 be reported with a code from F44?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at R41, which applies to R41.83, lists "dissociative [conversion] disorders (F44.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).