I16.9
Hypertensive crisis, unspecified
I16.9 (also written I169) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hypertensive crisis, unspecified. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. It is one of the 3 codes in category I16 (Hypertensive crisis). The Alphabetic Index lists it under 1 entry. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, a Code also instruction, 2 Excludes1 entries and 11 Excludes2 entries.
Guidelines tip
From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.
Hypertensive urgency, emergency or an unspecified crisis goes to category I16, and any identified hypertensive disease is coded as well.
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
Code also
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition. This note gives no sequencing order.
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
Also from chapter/block level (11 notes)
- hypertensive disease complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O10-O11, O13-O16)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
- systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)
- transient cerebral ischemic attacks and related syndromes (G45.-)
Care settings
How CMS programs treat this code. These are CMS claim edits and list entries, not coverage or eligibility rules.
Home Health Primary
Accepted as the primary (principal) diagnosis on a home health claim. The Home Health Grouper assigns it to the MMTA - Cardiac and Circulatory clinical group.
Source: CMS Home Health Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective October 1, 2026Hospital CC
Counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) when reported as a secondary diagnosis on an inpatient claim. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 1 code in its exclusion list. Some MS-DRGs also ignore a CC or MCC that defines the DRG.
Source: CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, effective October 1, 2026, Appendix CAlphabetic Index terms
Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 1 entry