2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R78.81Bacteremia
ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R70-R79›R78
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Not Chronic
R78.81 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for bacteremia. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 791, 793, 870 through 872. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 61 closely related codes. 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 Abnormal findings without diagnosis.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Bacteremia
- Bacteremia associated with intravascular line
- Bacteremia caused by Chromobacterium
- Bacteremia caused by Clostridium
- Bacteremia caused by coliform bacteria
- Bacteremia caused by Enterococcus
- Bacteremia caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
- Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
- Bacteremia caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
- Bacteremia caused by Proteus
- Bacteremia caused by Pseudomonas
- Bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus
- Bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus
- Bacteremic skin rash
- Organism isolated in blood by culture
- Postoperative bacteremia
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R78.81: its own notes plus those printed at R78, block R70-R79, and Chapter 18. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
- sepsis-code to specified infection
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.
- abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
- abnormalities of lipids (E78.-)
- abnormalities of platelets and thrombocytes (D69.-)
- abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)
- coagulation hemorrhagic disorders (D65-D68)
- diagnostic abnormal findings classified elsewhere - see Alphabetical Index
- hemorrhagic and hematological disorders of newborn (P50-P61)
Use Additional Code
Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- 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 R78.81, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes1 2
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R78.81: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Excludes2 1
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming R78.81: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
- Block R83-R89 Abnormal findings on examination of other body fluids, substances and tissues, without diagnosis
Use Additional Code 1
These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and R78.81 is one of the codes named.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
Bacteremia R78.81
Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis See Also: Abnormal;
blood R78.81
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Bacteremia
the presence of viable bacteria circulating in the blood. fever, chills, tachycardia, and tachypnea are common acute manifestations of bacteremia. the majority of cases are seen in already hospitalized patients, most of whom have underlying diseases or procedures which render their bloodstreams susceptible to invasion.
Patient EducationClinical
Sepsis
Sepsis is your body's overactive and extreme response to an infection. Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency. Without quick treatment, it can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death.
The full article covers:
- What is sepsis?
- What causes sepsis?
- Who is more likely to develop sepsis?
- What are the symptoms of sepsis?
- What other problems can sepsis cause?
- How is sepsis diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for sepsis?
- Can sepsis be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert R78.81 to ICD-9-CMHistory
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About R78.81Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for bacteremia?
The ICD-10-CM code for bacteremia is R78.81 (sometimes written as R7881). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is R78.81 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report bacteremia on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does R78.81 group to?
When bacteremia is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 793, 791, 872, 871, 870, with relative weights from 1.0066 to 6.9432 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is R78.81 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists R78.81 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 61 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
Can R78.81 be a principal diagnosis?
Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the bacteremia is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.
