P57.9 — Kernicterus, unspecified
Is P57.9 billable?
Yes, but P57.9 is an unspecified code. P57.9 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, P57.9 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 P57.9 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
P57.9 at a glance
| Code | P57.9 |
|---|---|
| Description | Kernicterus, unspecified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does P57.9 group to?
P57.9 sits in MDC 15 and helps define the logic of 1 MS-DRG (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 791Prematurity with Major Problemsmedical
As a secondary diagnosis, P57.9 is a major complication or comorbidity (MCC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is P57.9 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to P57.9. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Encephalopathia hyperbilirubinemica, newborn
- Kernicterus of newborn (not due to isoimmunization)
- Encephalopathy › hyperbilirubinemic, newborn (acute)
- Jaundice › nuclear, newborn (yellow)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from P50-P61
The conditions below can never be reported together with P57.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 16
The conditions below are not part of P57.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, P57.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has P57.9 existed?
P57.9 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.