2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z62.3Hostility towards and scapegoating of child

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z55-Z65›Z62

ICD-10-CM Z62.3
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z62.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hostility towards and scapegoating of child. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to pediatric patients (age 0 through 17), not accepted as a principal diagnosis, and exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Socioeconomic/psychosocial factors.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z62.3
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Hostility towards and scapegoating of child
Short Description
Hostility towards and scapegoating of child
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z62
Problems related to upbringing

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ55-Z65Persons with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances
CategoryZ62Problems related to upbringing
This CodeZ62.3Hostility towards and scapegoating of child

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z62.3.

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).
Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Z62.3 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

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.

    • Hostility
      • towards child
    • Scapegoating affecting child

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR FAC019
Socioeconomic/psychosocial factors
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Convert Z62.3 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
V61.29 Oth parent-child problem
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

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 Z62.3Overview

Is Z62.3 (Problems related to upbringing) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report hostility towards and scapegoating of child on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can Z62.3 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because hostility towards and scapegoating of child describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Who can Z62.3 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks hostility towards and scapegoating of child against patient demographics: this code is intended for pediatric patients (age 0 through 17). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

Is Z62.3 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for hostility towards and scapegoating of child on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z62.3?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, hostility towards and scapegoating of child converts to ICD-9-CM V61.29 (oth parent-child problem). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.