B33.3 — Retrovirus infections, not elsewhere classified
Is B33.3 billable?
Yes, but B33.3 is an unspecified code. B33.3 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, B33.3 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting B33.3 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
B33.3 at a glance
| Code | B33.3 |
|---|---|
| Description | Retrovirus infections, not elsewhere classified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does B33.3 group to?
B33.3 sits in MDC 18 and helps define the logic of 2 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 865Viral Illness with MCCmedical
- 866Viral Illness without MCCmedical
How is B33.3 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to B33.3. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Infection, infected, infective › retrovirus (opportunistic)
- Human › T-cell lymphotropic virus › type-1infection
- Infection, infected, infective › human › T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (opportunistic)
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to B33.3.
- Retrovirus infection NOS
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 1
Report an additional code alongside B33.3 to fully describe the condition. B33.3 is sequenced first.
- code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 1
The conditions below are not part of B33.3, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, B33.3 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
How long has B33.3 existed?
B33.3 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.
Which codes are confused with B33.3?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with B33.3 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.