2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R68.13Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R50-R69›R68

ICD-10-CM R68.13
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R68.13 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE). 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 restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to pediatric patients (age 0 through 17). 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 apparent life-threatening event in infant. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other general signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R68.13
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)
Short Description
Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R68.1
Nonspecific symptoms peculiar to infancy

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR50-R69General symptoms and signs
CategoryR68Other general symptoms and signs
This CodeR68.13Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R68.13.

Pediatric diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in pediatric cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The pediatric code edits apply to patients age range is 0–17 years inclusive (e.g., Reye's syndrome, routine child health exam).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Apparent life-threatening event in infant

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R68.13: its own notes plus those printed at R68.1 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.

  • Apparent life threatening event in newborn
  • Brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE)

Excludes1

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

From R68.1 Nonspecific symptoms peculiar to infancy applies to 4 codes
  • colic, infantile (R10.83)
  • neonatal cerebral irritability (P91.3)
  • teething syndrome (K00.7)

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 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)

Code First

The underlying condition named in the note is sequenced before this code.

  • confirmed diagnosis, if known

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

  • code(s) for associated signs and symptoms if no confirmed diagnosis established, or if signs and symptoms are not associated routinely with confirmed diagnosis, or provide additional information for cause of ALTE

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.

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

Convert R68.13 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
799.82 Appar life threat-infant
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About R68.13Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)?

The ICD-10-CM code for apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) is R68.13 (sometimes written as R6813). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R68.13 (Nonspecific symptoms peculiar to infancy) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does R68.13 group to?

When apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 951 (other Factors Influencing Health Status), which carries a relative weight of 0.5574. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R68.13 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

Who can R68.13 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) against patient demographics: this code is intended for pediatric patients (age 0 through 17). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.