2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R41.841Cognitive communication deficit

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R40-R46›R41

ICD-10-CM R41.841
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R41.841 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cognitive communication deficit. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). 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
R41.841
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Cognitive communication deficit
Short Description
Cognitive communication deficit
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R41.84
Other specified cognitive deficit

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 CodeR41.841Cognitive communication deficit

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acquired language comprehension impairment
  • Cognitive communication disorder
  • Cognitive deficit in communication skills
  • Conversation content - finding
  • Conversation content inappropriate
  • Conversation content limited
  • Deterioration in ability to communicate
  • Difficulty adapting conversation to context
  • Difficulty asking questions
  • Difficulty choosing topics of conversation
  • Difficulty commenting on events
  • Difficulty communicating
  • Difficulty communicating about self
  • Difficulty communicating due to and following laryngectomy
  • Difficulty communicating due to and following tracheotomy
  • Difficulty communicating feelings
  • Difficulty communicating in different places
  • Difficulty communicating intentions
  • Difficulty communicating needs and wishes
  • Difficulty communicating on different occasions
  • Difficulty communicating thoughts
  • Difficulty communicating with different people
  • Difficulty comprehending language
  • Difficulty comprehending speech
  • Difficulty comprehending written material
  • Difficulty finding words
  • Difficulty following instructions
  • Difficulty greeting
  • Difficulty imitating forms of communication
  • Difficulty imitating gesture
  • Difficulty imitating words
  • Difficulty inferring meaning
  • Difficulty initiating conversation
  • Difficulty initiating words
  • Difficulty joining in conversation
  • Difficulty maintaining conversation
  • Difficulty making conversation
  • Difficulty making self understood
  • Difficulty performing recreational use of conversation
  • Difficulty playing with words and meaning
  • Difficulty presupposing in conversation
  • Difficulty processing information
  • Difficulty repairing conversation
  • Difficulty responding to communication by others
  • Difficulty speaking at normal rate
  • Difficulty speaking fluently
  • Difficulty speaking intelligibly
  • Difficulty taking turns in conversation
  • Difficulty talking
  • Difficulty talking while playing
  • Difficulty terminating conversation
  • Difficulty understanding instructions of more than two parts
  • Difficulty understanding more than three word instructions
  • Difficulty understanding one part instructions
  • Difficulty understanding single word instructions
  • Difficulty understanding three word instructions
  • Difficulty understanding two part instructions
  • Difficulty understanding two word instructions
  • Difficulty understanding verbal language
  • Difficulty understanding written language
  • Difficulty using a non-speech system for communication
  • Difficulty using automatic language
  • Difficulty using body language
  • Difficulty using different forms of conversation
  • Difficulty using grammatical constructions
  • Difficulty using humor
  • Difficulty using language
  • Difficulty using non-verbal communication
  • Difficulty using self-expression
  • Difficulty using speech appropriately
  • Difficulty using the elements of language
  • Difficulty using words
  • Does not adapt conversation to context
  • Does not ask questions
  • Does not choose topics of conversation
  • Does not comment on events
  • Does not communicate
  • Does not communicate about self
  • Does not communicate feelings
  • Does not communicate in different places
  • Does not communicate intentions
  • Does not communicate needs and wishes
  • Does not communicate on different occasions
  • Does not communicate thoughts
  • Does not communicate with different people
  • Does not comprehend language
  • Does not comprehend speech
  • Does not comprehend written material
  • Does not find words
  • Does not greet
  • Does not imitate forms of communication
  • Does not imitate gesture
  • Does not imitate words
  • Does not initiate conversation
  • Does not initiate words
  • Does not join in conversation
  • Does not maintain conversation
  • Does not make conversation
  • Does not make self understood
  • Does not perform recreational use of conversation
  • Does not play with words and meaning
  • Does not presuppose in conversation
  • Does not repair conversation
  • Does not respond to communication by others
  • Does not speak
  • Does not speak at normal rate
  • Does not speak fluently
  • Does not speak intelligibly
  • Does not take turns in conversation
  • Does not talk while playing
  • Does not terminate conversation
  • Does not understand instructions of more than three words
  • Does not understand instructions of more than two parts
  • Does not understand one part instructions
  • Does not understand single word instructions
  • Does not understand three word instructions
  • Does not understand two part instructions
  • Does not understand two word instructions
  • Does not understand verbal language
  • Does not understand written language
  • Does not use a non-speech system for communication
  • Does not use automatic language
  • Does not use body language
  • Does not use different forms of conversation
  • Does not use grammatical constructions
  • Does not use humor
  • Does not use language
  • Does not use non-verbal communication
  • Does not use self-expression
  • Does not use speech appropriately
  • Does not use the elements of language
  • Does not use verbal communication
  • Does not use words
  • Expressionless face
  • Eye contact observations
  • Facial expression - finding
  • Finding related to ability to adapt conversation to context
  • Finding related to ability to ask questions
  • Finding related to ability to choose topics of conversation
  • Finding related to ability to comment on events
  • Finding related to ability to communicate about self
  • Finding related to ability to communicate feelings
  • Finding related to ability to communicate in different places
  • Finding related to ability to communicate intentions
  • Finding related to ability to communicate needs and wishes
  • Finding related to ability to communicate on different occasions
  • Finding related to ability to communicate thoughts
  • Finding related to ability to communicate with different people
  • Finding related to ability to find words
  • Finding related to ability to greet
  • Finding related to ability to imitate gesture
  • Finding related to ability to imitate words
  • Finding related to ability to infer meaning
  • Finding related to ability to initiate conversation
  • Finding related to ability to initiate words
  • Finding related to ability to join in conversation
  • Finding related to ability to maintain conversation
  • Finding related to ability to make self understood
  • Finding related to ability to perform recreational use of conversation
  • Finding related to ability to play with words and meaning
  • Finding related to ability to presuppose in conversation
  • Finding related to ability to repair conversation
  • Finding related to ability to respond to communication by others
  • Finding related to ability to speak
  • Finding related to ability to speak at normal rate
  • Finding related to ability to speak fluently
  • Finding related to ability to speak intelligibly
  • Finding related to ability to take turns in conversation
  • Finding related to ability to talk while playing
  • Finding related to ability to terminate conversation
  • Finding related to ability to use a non-speech system for communication
  • Finding related to ability to use automatic language
  • Finding related to ability to use body language
  • Finding related to ability to use different forms of conversation
  • Finding related to ability to use grammatical constructions
  • Finding related to ability to use humor
  • Finding related to ability to use speech appropriately
  • Finding related to ability to use words
  • Finding related to ability to write
  • Finding relating to non-verbal communication
  • General finding of language and communication
  • Inadequate interpersonal communication skills
  • Inappropriate use of language in communication
  • Lack of alternative communication skill
  • Lack of alternative communication skill: gestures
  • Lack of direction in speech
  • Language-related cognitive disorder
  • Neologism
  • Poor eye contact
  • Talking past the point
  • Unable to adapt conversation to context
  • Unable to ask questions
  • Unable to choose topics of conversation
  • Unable to comment on events
  • Unable to communicate
  • Unable to communicate about self
  • Unable to communicate feelings
  • Unable to communicate in different places
  • Unable to communicate intentions
  • Unable to communicate needs and wishes
  • Unable to communicate on different occasions
  • Unable to communicate thoughts
  • Unable to communicate with different people
  • Unable to find words
  • Unable to greet
  • Unable to imitate forms of communication
  • Unable to imitate gesture
  • Unable to imitate words
  • Unable to infer meaning
  • Unable to initiate conversation
  • Unable to initiate words
  • Unable to join in conversation
  • Unable to maintain conversation
  • Unable to make conversation
  • Unable to make self understood
  • Unable to perform recreational use of conversation
  • Unable to play with words and meaning
  • Unable to presuppose in conversation
  • Unable to repair conversation
  • Unable to respond to communication by others
  • Unable to speak
  • Unable to speak at normal rate
  • Unable to speak fluently
  • Unable to speak intelligibly
  • Unable to take turns in conversation
  • Unable to talk while playing
  • Unable to terminate conversation
  • Unable to use a non-speech system for communication
  • Unable to use automatic language
  • Unable to use body language
  • Unable to use different forms of conversation
  • Unable to use grammatical constructions
  • Unable to use humor
  • Unable to use language
  • Unable to use non-verbal communication
  • Unable to use self-expression
  • Unable to use speech appropriately
  • Unable to use the elements of language
  • Unable to use verbal communication
  • Unable to use words
  • Unable to write

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Deficit
      • cognitive
        • communication

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

Speech and Communication Disorders

Many disorders can affect our ability to speak and communicate. They range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech. Causes include:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert R41.841 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
799.52 Cog communicate deficit
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About R41.841Overview

Is R41.841 (Other specified cognitive deficit) a billable code?

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

Can R41.841 be a principal diagnosis?

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

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R41.841?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, cognitive communication deficit converts to ICD-9-CM 799.52 (cog communicate deficit). The mapping is a direct match.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.