Long term (current) drug therapy (Z79) ICD-10-CM
The Z79 code range covers long term (current) drug therapy with 41 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 32 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
Includes
This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
- long term (current) drug use for prophylactic purposes
Code Also
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
- any therapeutic drug level monitoring Z51.81
Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Codes in the Z79 Range 41 codes · 32 billable
- Z79 Long term (current) drug therapyNon-billable
- Z79.0 Long term (current) use of anticoagulants and antithrombotics/antiplateletsNon-billable
- Z79.01 Long term (current) use of anticoagulants
- Z79.02 Long term (current) use of antithrombotics/antiplatelets
- Z79.1 Long term (current) use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID)
- Z79.2 Long term (current) use of antibiotics
- Z79.3 Long term (current) use of hormonal contraceptives
- Z79.4 Long term (current) use of insulin
- Z79.5 Long term (current) use of steroidsNon-billable
- Z79.51 Long term (current) use of inhaled steroids
- Z79.52 Long term (current) use of systemic steroids
- Z79.6 Long term (current) use of immunomodulators and immunosuppressantsNon-billable
- Z79.60 Long term (current) use of unspecified immunomodulators and immunosuppressants
- Z79.61 Long term (current) use of immunomodulator
- Z79.62 Long term (current) use of immunosuppressantNon-billable
- Z79.620 Long term (current) use of immunosuppressive biologic
- Z79.621 Long term (current) use of calcineurin inhibitor
- Z79.622 Long term (current) use of Janus kinase inhibitor
- Z79.623 Long term (current) use of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor
- Z79.624 Long term (current) use of inhibitors of nucleotide synthesis
- Z79.63 Long term (current) use of chemotherapeutic agentNon-billable
- Z79.630 Long term (current) use of alkylating agent
- Z79.631 Long term (current) use of antimetabolite agent
- Z79.632 Long term (current) use of antitumor antibiotic
- Z79.633 Long term (current) use of mitotic inhibitor
- Z79.634 Long term (current) use of topoisomerase inhibitor
- Z79.64 Long term (current) use of myelosuppressive agent
- Z79.69 Long term (current) use of other immunomodulators and immunosuppressants
- Z79.8 Other long term (current) drug therapyNon-billable
- Z79.81 Long term (current) use of agents affecting estrogen receptors and estrogen levelsNon-billable
- Z79.810 Long term (current) use of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)
- Z79.811 Long term (current) use of aromatase inhibitors
- Z79.818 Long term (current) use of other agents affecting estrogen receptors and estrogen levels
- Z79.82 Long term (current) use of aspirin
- Z79.83 Long term (current) use of bisphosphonates
- Z79.84 Long term (current) use of oral hypoglycemic drugs
- Z79.85 Long-term (current) use of injectable non-insulin antidiabetic drugs
- Z79.89 Other long term (current) drug therapyNon-billable
- Z79.890 Hormone replacement therapy
- Z79.891 Long term (current) use of opiate analgesic
- Z79.899 Other long term (current) drug therapy
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the Z79 range.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
The use of hormonal agents with estrogen-like activity in postmenopausal or other estrogen-deficient women to alleviate effects of hormone deficiency, such as vasomotor symptoms, DYSPAREUNIA, and progressive development of OSTEOPOROSIS. This may also include the use of progestational agents in combination therapy.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Therapeutic use of hormones to alleviate the effects of hormone deficiency.
About the Z79 Code Range
The Z79 ICD-10 codes specify long term (current) drug therapy used to indicate ongoing medication treatment for various conditions. These codes are applied when patients use medications such as anticoagulants, steroids, insulin, or immunosuppressants over an extended period.
The Z79 section includes detailed subcodes reflecting specific long-term drug uses. For example, Z79.01 covers long-term anticoagulant use, often referenced by terms like "history of pulmonary embolism on long-term anticoagulation therapy" or "requires lifelong warfarin therapy." Similarly, Z79.4 represents long-term insulin use for diabetes management. Codes like Z79.51 and Z79.52 differentiate between inhaled and systemic steroids, while Z79.6 and its subcodes identify prolonged use of immunomodulators and immunosuppressants, including biologics and calcineurin inhibitors. Other subcodes address long-term uses of antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives, chemotherapeutic agents, and various specialized drugs such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (Z79.810) or aspirin therapy (Z79.82). Using these specific ICD-10 codes helps accurately document patients’ chronic medication regimens for clinical and billing purposes.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the Z79 range?
Of the 41 codes in this range, 32 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the Z79 range classify?
The range classifies long term (current) drug therapy. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
