R33.9 — Retention of urine, unspecified
Is R33.9 billable?
Yes, but R33.9 is an unspecified code. R33.9 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, R33.9 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 R33.9 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
R33.9 at a glance
| Code | R33.9 |
|---|---|
| Description | Retention of urine, unspecified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does R33.9 group to?
R33.9 sits in MDC 11 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.
- 695Kidney and Urinary Tract Signs and Symptoms with MCCmedical
- 696Kidney and Urinary Tract Signs and Symptoms without MCCmedical
How is R33.9 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to R33.9. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Incomplete › bladder, emptying
- Retention › urine
- Urine › retention or stasis
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from R33
The conditions below can never be reported together with R33.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- psychogenic retention of urine (F45.8)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 18
The conditions below are not part of R33.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, R33.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has R33.9 existed?
R33.9 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.