2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R63.39Other feeding difficulties

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R50-R69›R63

ICD-10-CM R63.39
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R63.39 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other feeding difficulties. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 640 through 641. 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 Other general signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R63.39
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other feeding difficulties
Short Description
Other feeding difficulties
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R63.3
Feeding difficulties

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR50-R69General symptoms and signs
CategoryR63Symptoms and signs concerning food and fluid intake
This CodeR63.39Other feeding difficulties

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Chewing finding
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Difficulty clearing mouth of residue
  • Difficulty controlling bolus of food
  • Difficulty cutting up food
  • Difficulty drinking from a bottle
  • Difficulty feeding self with left hand
  • Difficulty feeding self with right hand
  • Difficulty finger feeding
  • Difficulty in retrieving food from buccal sulcus
  • Difficulty latching on to breast for feeding
  • Difficulty moving food in mouth
  • Difficulty placing food in mouth
  • Difficulty projecting bolus of food into pharynx
  • Difficulty retaining food in mouth
  • Difficulty sucking
  • Difficulty suckling
  • Difficulty taking food to mouth
  • Difficulty using cutlery to feed self
  • Difficulty using feeding aid
  • Difficulty using fork to feed self
  • Difficulty using hands to feed self
  • Difficulty using knife and fork to feed self
  • Difficulty using spoon to feed self
  • Does not clear mouth of residue
  • Does not control bolus of food
  • Does not cut up food
  • Does not finger feed
  • Does not latch on to breast for feeding
  • Does not move food in mouth
  • Does not place food in mouth
  • Does not project bolus of food into pharynx
  • Does not retain food in mouth
  • Does not suck
  • Does not take food to mouth
  • Does not to suckle
  • Does not use cutlery to feed self
  • Does not use feeding aid
  • Does not use fork to feed self
  • Does not use hands to feed self
  • Does not use knife and fork to feed self
  • Does not use left hand to feed self
  • Does not use right hand to feed self
  • Does not use spoon to feed self
  • Elderly feeding problem
  • Feeding problem
  • Feeding problem due to illness
  • Feeding problem in adulthood
  • Feeding problem in child
  • Finding of infant feeding pattern
  • Finding related to ability to chew
  • Finding related to ability to clear mouth of residue
  • Finding related to ability to control bolus of food
  • Finding related to ability to cut up food
  • Finding related to ability to drink from bottle
  • Finding related to ability to feed self with left hand
  • Finding related to ability to feed self with right hand
  • Finding related to ability to finger feed
  • Finding related to ability to latch on to breast for feeding
  • Finding related to ability to place food in mouth
  • Finding related to ability to project bolus of food into pharynx
  • Finding related to ability to retain food in mouth
  • Finding related to ability to retrieve food from buccal sulcus
  • Finding related to ability to suck
  • Finding related to ability to suckle
  • Finding related to ability to take food to mouth
  • Finding related to ability to use feeding aid
  • Finding related to ability to use fork to feed self
  • Finding related to ability to use knife and fork to feed self
  • Finding related to ability to use spoon to feed self
  • Food fads
  • Infant feeding problem
  • Infant not tolerating feeds
  • Picky eater
  • Refusal of feeds in infant
  • Unable to chew
  • Unable to clear mouth of residue
  • Unable to control bolus of food
  • Unable to cut up food
  • Unable to feed self with left hand
  • Unable to feed self with right hand
  • Unable to finger feed
  • Unable to latch on to breast for feeding
  • Unable to move food in mouth
  • Unable to place food in mouth
  • Unable to project bolus of food into pharynx
  • Unable to retain food in mouth
  • Unable to retrieve food from buccal sulcus
  • Unable to suck
  • Unable to suckle
  • Unable to take food to mouth
  • Unable to use cutlery to feed self
  • Unable to use feeding aid
  • Unable to use fork to feed self
  • Unable to use hands to feed self
  • Unable to use knife and fork to feed self
  • Unable to use spoon to feed self

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Feeding problem (elderly) (infant) NOS
  • Picky eater

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.

    • Aversion
      • oral
    • Difficult, difficulty(in)
      • feeding
        • elderly
    • Difficult, difficulty(in)
      • feeding
        • infant NOS
    • Difficult, difficulty(in)
      • feeding
        • specified NEC
    • Feeding
      • problem (elderly) (infant)
    • Problem(with) (related to)
      • feeding (elderly) (infant) NOS

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SYM016
Other general signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Breast Feeding Problem

    issues related to the ability to breastfeed.

  • Feeding Problem

    interruption or disruption of the intake of food/nutrition.

Code History & ChangesHistory

Replacement R63.39 replaces the following previously assigned code(s):

  • R63.3 - Feeding difficulties
FY 2022AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2021.
FY 2023–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About R63.39Overview

Is R63.39 (Feeding difficulties) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does R63.39 group to?

When other feeding difficulties is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 640, 641, with relative weights from 0.7782 to 1.3356 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R63.39 be a principal diagnosis?

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

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.