O26.879 — Cervical shortening, unspecified trimester
Is O26.879 billable?
Yes, but O26.879 is an unspecified code. O26.879 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, O26.879 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 O26.879 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
O26.879 at a glance
| Code | O26.879 |
|---|---|
| Description | Cervical shortening, unspecified trimester |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does O26.879 group to?
O26.879 sits in MDC 14 and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 817Other Antepartum Diagnoses with O.R. Procedures with MCCsurgical
- 818Other Antepartum Diagnoses with O.R. Procedures with CCsurgical
- 819Other Antepartum Diagnoses with O.R. Procedures without CC/MCCsurgical
As a secondary diagnosis, O26.879 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is O26.879 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under O26.87, the nearest indexed parent of O26.879. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Cervical › shortening
- Short, shortening, shortness › cervical
- Pregnancy › complicated by › cervical shortening (single) (uterine)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from Chapter 15
The conditions below can never be reported together with O26.879 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- supervision of normal pregnancy (Z34.-)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from O26.87
The conditions below can never be reported together with O26.879 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- encounter for suspected cervical shortening ruled out (Z03.75)
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 15
Report an additional code alongside O26.879 to fully describe the condition. O26.879 is sequenced first.
- code, if applicable, from category Z3A, Weeks of gestation, to identify the specific week of the pregnancy, if known.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 15
The conditions below are not part of O26.879, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, O26.879 and the excluded code may both be reported.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from O20-O29
The conditions below are not part of O26.879, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, O26.879 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has O26.879 existed?
O26.879 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.