D64.9 ICD-10-CM Code: Anemia, unspecified
Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.
Coding at a Glance
- Tabular directives
- 2 Excludes1
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 811 — RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITH MCC (MDC 16)
- MS-DRG 812 — RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITHOUT MCC (MDC 16)
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 D64.9 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.
Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025
Notes without a marker are published on D64.9 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.
Excludes1 — Not Coded Here
Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
- refractory anemia (D46.-) inherited from D64Compare D64.9 vs D46 →
- refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation RAEB T
Coder workflow for D64.9
MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record
Before you code D64.9
- Unspecified does not mean incorrect. When the record gives no greater specificity, D64.9 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).
ReviewD64.0, D64.1, D64.2, D64.3, D64.4, D64.8
See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →
- Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with D64.9. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).
Choose the right path
- Does the record document the detail a more specific sibling code needs?
Yes → Review the specific siblings in this subcategory.
No → Continue — D64.9 is appropriate when the documentation goes no further. - Does the documentation support a condition named in D64.9’s Excludes1 note?
Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
No → Continue.ReviewD46
Consider D64.9. 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.
Official instructions as workflow
Excludes1 — check before selecting D64.9(2 notes)
Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with D64.9: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.
CompareD46
See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a
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).
Documentation: Both the condition D64.9 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.
Coding question: Can both codes be reported?
Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.
Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).
ReviewD46
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
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 (10)
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.
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound)
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), atypical (primary)
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), idiopathic
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), normocytic (infectional)
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), progressive
- Deficiency, deficient, hemoglobin
- Hemoglobin, low NOS
- Low, hematocrit
- Low, hemoglobin
- Oligocythemia
Official Coding Guidelines
No excerpt in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines names this code specifically. Its chapter carries only this chapter-wide note:
Chapter 3: Disease of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89)
Reserved for future guideline expansion
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 D64.9 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 2 Excludes1 notes across 2 chapters: D53.9 — Nutritional anemia, unspecified, R71 — Abnormality of red blood cells (via D64.-).
These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.
Referenced by 23 Code First instructions across 3 chapters: I21.A1 — Myocardial infarction type 2 (via D64.-), M90.5 — Osteonecrosis in diseases classified elsewhere (via D64.-), T36 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of systemic antibiotics (via D64.-), T36-T39 — Antibiotics & Anti-infectives (T36-T39) (via D64.-), T36-T50 — Poisoning by, adverse effects of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances (T36-T50) (via D64.-), T37 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics (via D64.-), T38 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified (via D64.-), T39 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics (via D64.-), T40 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] (via D64.-), T40-T41 — Analgesics & Antipyretics (T40-T41) (via D64.-), T41 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of anesthetics and therapeutic gases (via D64.-), T42 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of antiepileptic, sedative- hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs (via D64.-), T42-T43 — Anticonvulsants & Psychotropics (T42-T43) (via D64.-), T43 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified (via D64.-), T44 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system (via D64.-), T44-T46 — Cardiovascular & Gastrointestinal (T44-T46) (via D64.-), T45 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of primarily systemic and hematological agents, not elsewhere classified (via D64.-), T46 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system (via D64.-), T47 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system (via D64.-), T47-T50 — Hormones & Systemic Agents (T47-T50) (via D64.-), +3 more.
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 2 MS-DRGs: DRG 811 (MDC 16), DRG 812 (MDC 16).
From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.
Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):BLD003 — Aplastic anemia (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 (Aplastic anemia).
D61.09 — Other constitutional aplastic anemia, D61.1 — Drug-induced aplastic anemia, D61.2 — Aplastic anemia due to other external agents, D61.3 — Idiopathic aplastic anemia, D61.810 — Antineoplastic chemotherapy induced pancytopenia, D61.811 — Other drug-induced pancytopenia, D61.818 — Other pancytopenia, D61.82 — Myelophthisis, D61.89 — Other specified aplastic anemias and other bone marrow failure syndromes, D61.9 — Aplastic anemia, unspecified, D63.0 — Anemia in neoplastic disease, D63.1 — Anemia in chronic kidney disease, D63.8 — Anemia in other chronic diseases classified elsewhere, D64.0 — Hereditary sideroblastic anemia, D64.1 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to disease, D64.2 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to drugs and toxins, D64.3 — Other sideroblastic anemias, D64.4 — Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, D64.81 — Anemia due to antineoplastic chemotherapy, D64.89 — Other specified anemias, +7 more
Same Index main term, other category
The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main terms “Deficiency, deficient”, “Anemia”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.
D61.1 — Drug-induced aplastic anemia (aplastic, drug-induced), D61.2 — Aplastic anemia due to other external agents (toxic), D61.3 — Idiopathic aplastic anemia (aplastic, idiopathic), D61.82 — Myelophthisis (myelophthisic), D61.89 — Other specified aplastic anemias and other bone marrow failure syndromes (semiplastic), D61.9 — Aplastic anemia, unspecified (aplastic), D62 — Acute posthemorrhagic anemia (blood loss, acute), D63.0 — Anemia in neoplastic disease (in, neoplastic disease), D63.1 — Anemia in chronic kidney disease (in, failure, kidney), D63.8 — Anemia in other chronic diseases classified elsewhere (intertropical), D65 — Disseminated intravascular coagulation [defibrination syndrome] (fibrinogen, acquired), D66 — Hereditary factor VIII deficiency (factor, VIII), D67 — Hereditary factor IX deficiency (PTC), D68.01 — Von Willebrand disease, type 1 (von Willebrand factor, partial quantitative), D68.03 — Von Willebrand disease, type 3 (von Willebrand factor, total quantitative), D68.1 — Hereditary factor XI deficiency (PTA), D68.2 — Hereditary deficiency of other clotting factors (SPCA), D68.4 — Acquired coagulation factor deficiency (prothrombin, acquired), D68.59 — Other primary thrombophilia (protein, S), D68.8 — Other specified coagulation defects (factor, multiple), +287 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), HIV Screening Test, Iron Panel, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Contextual Map
Every relationship of D64.9 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 D64.9 with these 10 related codes in Claim Check
Hierarchy
- D50-D89 — Chapter 3: Diseases of the Blood and Blood-forming Organs and Certain Disorders Involving the Immune Mechanism (D50-D89) (D50-D89)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D60-D64 — Aplastic and other anemias and other bone marrow failure syndromes[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
Referenced by Excludes1 notes
- D53.9 — Nutritional anemia, unspecified[Excludes1]: “anemia NOS (D64.9)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- R71 — Abnormality of red blood cells[Excludes1](via D64.-): “anemias (D50-D64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
Referenced by Code First instructions (23)
- I21.A1 — Myocardial infarction type 2[Code First](via D64.-): “anemia (D50.0-D64.9)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- M90.5 — Osteonecrosis in diseases classified elsewhere[Code First](via D64.-): “hemoglobinopathy (D50-D64)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T36 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of systemic antibiotics[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T36-T39 — Antibiotics & Anti-infectives (T36-T39)[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T36-T50 — Poisoning by, adverse effects of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances (T36-T50)[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T37 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T38 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- T39 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics[Code First](via D64.-): “blood disorders (D56-D76)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- and 15 more
Clinical classification (CCSR)
- BLD003 — Aplastic anemia[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)
MS-DRG Grouper
- DRG 811 — RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITH MCC[MS-DRG]: “RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITH MCC (MDC 16)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
- DRG 812 — RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITHOUT MCC[MS-DRG]: “RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITHOUT MCC (MDC 16)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
MDC crossing
- MDC 16 — Diseases and Disorders of Blood, Blood Forming Organs and Immunologic Disorders[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of Blood, Blood Forming Organs and Immunologic Disorders — 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. 1,614 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026
Index entries (10)
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), atypical (primary)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), idiopathic[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), normocytic (infectional)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Anemia (essential) (general) (hemoglobin deficiency) (infantile) (primary) (profound), progressive[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Deficiency, deficient, hemoglobin[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Hemoglobin, low NOS[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Low, hematocrit[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- and 2 more
Nearest codes (9)
- D64 — Other anemias[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.0 — Hereditary sideroblastic anemia[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.1 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to disease[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.2 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to drugs and toxins[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.3 — Other sideroblastic anemias[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.4 — Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.8 — Other specified anemias[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- D64.81 — Anemia due to antineoplastic chemotherapy[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- and 1 more
Change history
- FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016
Real-World Coding Questions
Questions working coders have asked about this code, answered from official sources and reviewed by an editor.
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
- Coding guidelines Official source data
- ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY2026), quoted by section 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. "D64.9 — Anemia, unspecified." ICD-10-CM FY2026. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/d64.9-anemia-unspecified
Change history
- FY2016 — October 1, 2015In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoptionAnemia, 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 D64.9 in its code family, with their registry titles.
- D64 — Other anemias
- D64.0 — Hereditary sideroblastic anemia
- D64.1 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to disease
- D64.2 — Secondary sideroblastic anemia due to drugs and toxins
- D64.3 — Other sideroblastic anemias
- D64.4 — Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia
- D64.8 — Other specified anemias
- D64.81 — Anemia due to antineoplastic chemotherapy
- D64.89 — Other specified anemias