R71.0 ICD-10-CM Code: Precipitous drop in hematocrit

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for R71.0 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 R71.0 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for R71.0

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

Before you code R71.0

1. Check whether an established diagnosis that explains this sign or symptom is documented. If one is, review whether the documented diagnosis changes the coding pathway: a symptom that is integral to a confirmed diagnosis is not reported separately, while one not routinely associated with it may be. Signs and symptoms are reported when no definitive diagnosis is established (Guidelines I.B.4, I.B.5, I.B.6, I.C.18.b).

   Guide: Symptom code vs confirmed diagnosis →

2. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with R71.0. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

   See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

1. Is an established diagnosis that explains this sign or symptom documented?
   Yes → Review whether the documented diagnosis changes the coding pathway: a symptom integral to it is not reported separately.
   No → Continue — the sign or symptom code stands when no definitive diagnosis is established.
2. Does the documentation support a condition named in R71.0’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.

   ReviewP61.2, D75.0, P55, P61.1, D75.1, D45

Consider R71.0. 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).

Official instructions as workflow

• Excludes1 — check before selecting R71.0(9 notes)

  Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with R71.0: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

  CompareP61.2, D75.0, P55, P61.1, D75.1, D45

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

• Excludes2 — not part of R71.0(7 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in R71.0. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

  CompareO28, E78, D69

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

Coding decision scenarios

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

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.

Indexed Clinical Terms (5)

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.

• Decrease (d), hematocrit
• Decrease (d), hemoglobin
• Drop (in), hematocrit (precipitous)
• Drop (in), hemoglobin
• Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis, hematocrit drop (precipitous)

Don’t confuse R71.0 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of R71.0 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• D50— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of anemias moves the case to D50; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs D50 →

• D64— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of anemias moves the case to D64; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs D64 →

• P61.2— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of anemia of premature infant moves the case to P61.2; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs P61.2 →

• D75.0— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of benign (familial) polycythemia moves the case to D75.0; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs D75.0 →

• P61.4— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of congenital anemias moves the case to P61.4; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs P61.4 →

• P55— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of newborn anemia due to isoimmunization moves the case to P55; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: R71.0 vs P55 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Verify Before Coding

• CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2026). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

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 R71.0 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 8 Excludes2 notes: R83 — Abnormal findings in cerebrospinal fluid (via R71.-), R83-R89 — Abnormal findings on examination of other body fluids, substances and tissues, without diagnosis (R83-R89) (via R71.-), R84 — Abnormal findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax (via R71.-), R85 — Abnormal findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity (via R71.-), R86 — Abnormal findings in specimens from male genital organs (via R71.-), R87 — Abnormal findings in specimens from female genital organs (via R71.-), R88 — Abnormal findings in other body fluids and substances (via R71.-), R89 — Abnormal findings in specimens from other organs, systems and tissues (via R71.-).

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

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 6 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.

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):SYM017 — Abnormal findings without diagnosis (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 process (MS-DRG)

Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

D62 — Acute posthemorrhagic anemia, D64.4 — Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, D64.81 — Anemia due to antineoplastic chemotherapy, D64.89 — Other specified anemias, D64.9 — Anemia, unspecified

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Abnormal findings without diagnosis).

R70.0 — Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, R70.1 — Abnormal plasma viscosity, R71.8 — Other abnormality of red blood cells, R73.01 — Impaired fasting glucose, R73.02 — Impaired glucose tolerance (oral), R73.09 — Other abnormal glucose, R73.9 — Hyperglycemia, unspecified, R74.0 — Nonspecific elevation of levels of transaminase and lactic acid dehydrogenase [LDH], R74.01 — Elevation of levels of liver transaminase levels, R74.02 — Elevation of levels of lactic acid dehydrogenase [LDH], R74.8 — Abnormal levels of other serum enzymes, R74.9 — Abnormal serum enzyme level, unspecified, R75 — Inconclusive laboratory evidence of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], R76.0 — Raised antibody titer, R76.11 — Nonspecific reaction to tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis, R76.12 — Nonspecific reaction to cell mediated immunity measurement of gamma interferon antigen response without active tuberculosis, R76.8 — Other specified abnormal immunological findings in serum, R76.81 — Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis, R76.89 — Other specified abnormal immunological findings in serum, R76.9 — Abnormal immunological finding in serum, unspecified, +183 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main terms “Decrease”, “Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis”, “Drop”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

O28.4 — Abnormal radiological finding on antenatal screening of mother (antenatal screening of mother, radiological), O28.5 — Abnormal chromosomal and genetic finding on antenatal screening of mother (antenatal screening of mother, genetic), O28.8 — Other abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (antenatal screening of mother, specified NEC), O28.9 — Unspecified abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (antenatal screening of mother), R01.2 — Other cardiac sounds (heart, sounds), R03.1 — Nonspecific low blood-pressure reading (blood, pressure), R55 — Syncope and collapse (attack NEC), R68.82 — Decreased libido (libido), R68.89 — Other general symptoms and signs (functional activity), R70.0 — Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (sedimentation rate, elevated), R73.09 — Other abnormal glucose (tolerance, glucose), R73.9 — Hyperglycemia, unspecified (blood sugar, high), R74.01 — Elevation of levels of liver transaminase levels (SGOT), R74.02 — Elevation of levels of lactic acid dehydrogenase [LDH] (lactic acid dehydrogenase), R76.0 — Raised antibody titer (antibody titer, elevated), R76.11 — Nonspecific reaction to tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis (PPD), R78.0 — Finding of alcohol in blood (alcohol in blood), R78.1 — Finding of opiate drug in blood (in blood, opiate drug), R78.2 — Finding of cocaine in blood (in blood, cocaine), R78.3 — Finding of hallucinogen in blood (in blood, hallucinogen), +83 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.

Iron Panel

Contextual Map

Every relationship of R71.0 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 R71.0 with these 8 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• R00-R99 — Chapter 18: Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) (R00-R99)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• R70-R79 — Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

• R83 — Abnormal findings in cerebrospinal fluid[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R83-R89 — Abnormal findings on examination of other body fluids, substances and tissues, without diagnosis (R83-R89)[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R84 — Abnormal findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R85 — Abnormal findings in specimens from digestive organs and abdominal cavity[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R86 — Abnormal findings in specimens from male genital organs[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R87 — Abnormal findings in specimens from female genital organs[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R88 — Abnormal findings in other body fluids and substances[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• R89 — Abnormal findings in specimens from other organs, systems and tissues[Excludes2](via R71.-): “abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Clinical classification (CCSR)

• SYM017 — Abnormal findings without diagnosis[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)

MS-DRG Grouper

• CC — Complication or Comorbidity [MS-DRG severity]: “As a secondary diagnosis this code can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier (CC).”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix C) · FY2026
• 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

• Decrease (d), hematocrit[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
• Decrease (d), hemoglobin[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
• Drop (in), hematocrit (precipitous)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
• Drop (in), hemoglobin[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
• Findings, abnormal, inconclusive, without diagnosis, hematocrit drop (precipitous)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes

• R71 — Abnormality of red blood cells[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• R71.8 — Other abnormality of red blood cells[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

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

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to R71.0 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• R71 — Abnormality of red blood cells
• R71.8 — Other abnormality of red blood cells

View all codes in the R71 family