E44 ICD-10-CM Code: Protein-calorie malnutrition of moderate and mild degree

E44 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for protein-calorie malnutrition of moderate and mild degree. E44 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (e00-e89), within the section covering malnutrition (e40-e46).

Header codes like E44 cannot be reported on claims directly, they organize child codes that share clinical context but the actual diagnosis must be coded to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation. Coders should look at E44's child codes and select the one that matches the patient's documented presentation, since payers reject header codes submitted as the primary diagnosis. For risk adjustment workflows, header codes never contribute to a Medicare Advantage member's RAF score on their own; only billable child codes that happen to map to a payment HCC affect risk-adjusted plan payments.