R26.2 — Difficulty in walking, not elsewhere classified
Is R26.2 billable?
Yes, but R26.2 is an unspecified code. R26.2 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, R26.2 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 R26.2 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
R26.2 at a glance
| Code | R26.2 |
|---|---|
| Description | Difficulty in walking, not elsewhere classified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does R26.2 group to?
R26.2 sits in MDC 08 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.
- 555Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue with MCCmedical
- 556Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue without MCCmedical
How is R26.2 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to R26.2. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Dysbasia
- Difficult, difficulty › walking (in)
- Gait abnormality › walking difficulty NEC
- Walking › difficulty
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with R26.2 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- falling (R29.6)
Excludes2 — not included here
The conditions below are not part of R26.2, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, R26.2 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- unsteadiness on feet (R26.81)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from R26
The conditions below can never be reported together with R26.2 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 18
The conditions below are not part of R26.2, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, R26.2 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has R26.2 existed?
R26.2 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 R26.2?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with R26.2 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.