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B71.9 ICD-10-CM Code: Cestode infection, unspecified

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
1 inclusion term

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 371 — MAJOR GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS AND PERITONEAL INFECTIONS WITH MCC (MDC 06)
  • MS-DRG 372 — MAJOR GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS AND PERITONEAL INFECTIONS WITH CC (MDC 06)
  • MS-DRG 373 — MAJOR GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS AND PERITONEAL INFECTIONS WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 06)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for B71.9 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Tapeworm (infection) NOS

Coder workflow for B71.9

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code B71.9

  1. Unspecified does not mean incorrect. When the record gives no greater specificity, B71.9 may be the appropriate code. Check the record for detail that supports a more specific sibling. An unspecified code is for records that do not provide the detail a more specific code needs; a query, not an assumption, is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

    ReviewB71.0, B71.1, B71.8

    See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

Choose the right path

  1. Does the record document the detail a more specific sibling code needs?
    Yes → Review the specific siblings in this subcategory.
    No → Continue — B71.9 is appropriate when the documentation goes no further.

    ReviewB71.0, B71.1, B71.8

Consider B71.9. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
Any detail beyond this code’s title
What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: The provider documents the condition in the terms of this code’s title and records no further detail.

Coding question: Is a more specific sibling code supportable?

Path: Review the specific siblings in this subcategory and what each requires the record to state.

Reason: A more specific code needs documentation of the distinguishing element; without it the unspecified code is appropriate, and a provider query is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

ReviewB71.0, B71.1, B71.8

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Code Overview

Cestode infection, unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (B71.9).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Indexed Clinical Terms (8)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Verify Before Coding

  • No Medicare Code Editor or MS-DRG Definitions Manual restrictions apply to this code.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name B71.9 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes2 note: J82 — Pulmonary eosinophilia, not elsewhere classified (via B71.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Referenced by 2 Code First instructions across 2 chapters: H94.0 — Acoustic neuritis in infectious and parasitic diseases classified elsewhere (via B71.-), K67 — Disorders of peritoneum in infectious diseases classified elsewhere (via B71.-).

Each of these codes carries a Code First note naming this condition — when that code is reported, THIS code is sequenced first, ahead of it.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: not on the CMS CC/MCC list — as a secondary diagnosis this code does not change MS-DRG severity for that release.

Named in the grouper logic of 3 MS-DRGs: DRG 371 (MDC 06), DRG 372 (MDC 06), DRG 373 (MDC 06).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):INF009 — Parasitic, other specified and unspecified infections (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Parasitic, other specified and unspecified infections).

B69.0 — Cysticercosis of central nervous system, B69.1 — Cysticercosis of eye, B69.81 — Myositis in cysticercosis, B69.89 — Cysticercosis of other sites, B69.9 — Cysticercosis, unspecified, B70.0 — Diphyllobothriasis, B70.1 — Sparganosis, B71.0 — Hymenolepiasis, B71.1 — Dipylidiasis, B71.8 — Other specified cestode infections, B72 — Dracunculiasis, B73.00 — Onchocerciasis with eye involvement, unspecified, B73.01 — Onchocerciasis with endophthalmitis, B73.02 — Onchocerciasis with glaucoma, B73.09 — Onchocerciasis with other eye involvement, B73.1 — Onchocerciasis without eye disease, B74.0 — Filariasis due to Wuchereria bancrofti, B74.1 — Filariasis due to Brugia malayi, B74.2 — Filariasis due to Brugia timori, B74.3 — Loiasis, +235 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main terms “Infestation”, “Epilepsy, epileptic, epilepsia”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

B66.5 — Fasciolopsiasis (Fasciolopsis), B66.8 — Other specified fluke infections (Metagonimus), B66.9 — Fluke infection, unspecified (fluke), B67.4 — Echinococcus granulosus infection, unspecified (dog tapeworm), B68.0 — Taenia solium taeniasis (pork tapeworm), B68.1 — Taenia saginata taeniasis (beef tapeworm), B68.9 — Taeniasis, unspecified (Taenia), B69.0 — Cysticercosis of central nervous system (cysticercosis), B70.0 — Diphyllobothriasis (fish tapeworm), B70.1 — Sparganosis (Sparganum), B72 — Dracunculiasis (Medina), B73.00 — Onchocerciasis with eye involvement, unspecified (microfilaria streptocerca, eye), B73.09 — Onchocerciasis with other eye involvement (eyelid, in, onchocerciasis), B74.0 — Filariasis due to Wuchereria bancrofti (Wuchereria), B74.1 — Filariasis due to Brugia malayi (Brugia), B74.2 — Filariasis due to Brugia timori (Brugia, timori), B74.3 — Loiasis (Loa loa), B74.4 — Mansonelliasis (Mansonella), B74.8 — Other filariases (filarial, specified type NEC), B74.9 — Filariasis, unspecified (filarial), +175 more

Lab tests where this diagnosis supports Medicare coverage (NCD)

Medicare's National Coverage Determination (NCD) program lists this diagnosis as medical justification for these lab tests.

Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of B71.9 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run B71.9 with these 3 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Index manifestation

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

Referenced by Code First instructions

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 06 — Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 5,744 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Index entries

  • Cestode infestation[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Cestodiasis[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Disease, diseased, brain, parasitic NEC[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Disease, diseased, parasitic, cerebral NEC[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Encephalitis (chronic) (hemorrhagic) (idiopathic) (nonepidemic) (spurious) (subacute), parasitic NOS[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Epilepsy, epileptic, epilepsia (attack) (cerebral) (convulsion) (fit) (seizure), parasitic NOS[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Infestation, cestodes[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Infestation, tapeworm[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "B71.9 — Cestode infection, unspecified." ICD-10-CM FY2026. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/b71.9-cestode-infection-unspecified

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Cestode infection, unspecified

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to B71.9 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the B71 family