2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z91.A3Caregiver's unintentional underdosing of patient's medication regimen
Z91.A3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Caregiver's unintentional underdosing of patient's medication regimen. 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 and exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified status.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z91.A3.
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
Z91.A3 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Code First
Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a "use additional code" note at the etiology code, and a "code first" note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Noncompliance - Z91.199
- with
- medication regimen NEC - Z91.148
- underdosing - See Also: Table of Drugs and Chemicals, categories T36-T50, with final character 6; - Z91.148
- by caregiver - Z91.A3
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Noncompliance
- with
- medication regimen NEC
- underdosing
- unintentional NEC
- by caregiver
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Code History & ChangesHistory
Replacement Z91.A3 replaces the following previously assigned code(s):
- Z91.19 - Patient's noncompliance w oth medical treatment and regimen
Questions About Z91.A3Overview
Is Z91.A3 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report Caregiver's unintentional underdosing of patient's medication regimen on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Can Z91.A3 be a principal diagnosis?
No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because Caregiver's unintentional underdosing of patient's medication regimen describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.
Is Z91.A3 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 Caregiver's unintentional underdosing of patient's medication regimen on inpatient claims.
