R68.13 — Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)
Is R68.13 billable?
Yes — R68.13 is billable for FY2027. R68.13 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. R68.13 may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
R68.13 at a glance
| Code | R68.13 |
|---|---|
| Description | Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE) |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does R68.13 group to?
R68.13 sits in MDC 23 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.
- 951Other Factors Influencing Health Statusmedical
How is R68.13 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to R68.13. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- ALTEin newborn and infant (apparent life threatening event)
- BRUE (brief resolved unexplained event)
- Event › apparent life threatening in newborn and infant
- Event › brief resolved unexplained event
- Newborn › affected by › apparent life threatening event (infant) (liveborn) (singleton)
Code first
The underlying condition below must be sequenced before R68.13. R68.13 describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.
- confirmed diagnosis, if known
Use additional code
Report an additional code alongside R68.13 to fully describe the condition. R68.13 is sequenced first.
- code(s) for associated signs and symptoms if no confirmed diagnosis established, or if signs and symptoms are not associated routinely with confirmed diagnosis, or provide additional information for cause of ALTE
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to R68.13.
- Apparent life threatening event in newborn
- Brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from R68.1
The conditions below can never be reported together with R68.13 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 R68.13, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, R68.13 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has R68.13 existed?
R68.13 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.