2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R46.81Obsessive-compulsive behavior
R46.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for obsessive-compulsive behavior. 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 Symptoms of mental and substance use conditions.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R46.81.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Addiction
- Biting self
- Compulsion expressed as ritual
- Compulsion to act on dangerous thoughts
- Compulsion to act on thoughts
- Compulsive arrangement of objects
- Compulsive behavior
- Compulsive buying
- Compulsive checking
- Compulsive cleaning
- Compulsive counting
- Compulsive drug taking
- Compulsive handwashing
- Compulsive hoarding
- Compulsive purposeless behavior
- Compulsive repeating
- Compulsive scratching behavior
- Compulsive self-biting behavior
- Compulsive tidying
- Compulsive touching
- Compulsive uncontrollable drug taking
- Compulsive washing
- Compulsive water drinking
- Excessive exercise
- Exercise history finding
- Finding related to ability to resist dangerous thoughts
- Finding related to ability to resist obsessional thoughts
- Finding related to ability to resist thoughts
- Hoarding
- Inability to resist compulsive behaviors
- Obsessive behavior
- Psychological addiction
- Scratches self
- Unable to resist dangerous thoughts
- Unable to resist obsessional thoughts
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
- obsessive-compulsive disorder F42
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Behavior
- obsessive-compulsive - R46.81
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Behavior
- obsessive-compulsive
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Compulsive Behavior
the behavior of performing an act persistently and repetitively without it leading to reward or pleasure. the act is usually a small, circumscribed behavior, almost ritualistic, yet not pathologically disturbing. examples of compulsive behavior include twirling of hair, checking something constantly, not wanting pennies in change, straightening tilted pictures, etc.Hoarding
a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions.Hoarding Disorder
disordered behavior associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning and persistent difficulty parting with possessions due to a perceived need to save the items and distress associated with discarding them. (from dsm-v) the quantity of collected items sets the behavior apart from normal collecting behaviors.Obsessive Behavior
persistent, unwanted idea or impulse which is considered normal when it does not markedly interfere with mental processes or emotional adjustment.
Patient EducationClinical
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which you have thoughts (obsessions) and rituals (compulsions) over and over. They interfere with your life, but you cannot control or stop them.
The full article covers:
- What is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
- What causes obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
- Who is at risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
- What are the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
- How is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert R46.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About R46.81Overview
Is R46.81 (Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report obsessive-compulsive behavior on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Can R46.81 be a principal diagnosis?
No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because obsessive-compulsive behavior describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R46.81?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, obsessive-compulsive behavior converts to ICD-9-CM 799.89 (ill-define condition NEC) and V40.39 (oth spc behavior problem). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
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.
