Guidelines › "Other" and "unspecified" codes
"Other" and "unspecified" codes
Official text from the FY2027 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. The wording is quoted exactly.
Guidelines I.A.9
“Codes titled "other" or "other specified" are for use when the information in the medical record provides detail for which a specific code does not exist.”
“Codes titled "unspecified" are for use when the information in the medical record is insufficient to assign a more specific code.”
Where this applies
This is a general rule. It applies to code assignment everywhere, not to one code or group of codes.
The Guidelines are the authority for assigning codes, and following them is required under HIPAA. This page quotes them for convenience and is not a substitute for the official document. See the Terms and Disclaimer.