N18.9 ICD-10-CM Code: Chronic kidney disease, unspecified
N18.9 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC coding software
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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the genitourinary system (N00-N99) / Acute kidney failure and chronic kidney disease (N17-N19)
N18.9
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceChronic kidney disease, unspecified
Chronic kidney disease of unspecified stage indicates long-term kidney damage where the specific severity level has not been determined or documented.
CMS-HCC V28
N/A—
Not mapped
CMS-HCC V24
HistoricalHistorical
Not used for CY2026 payment
ACA/HHS
N/A—
Not mapped
ESRD/PACE
N/A—
Not mapped
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
Official- Chronic renal disease
- Chronic renal failure NOS
- Chronic renal insufficiency
- Chronic uremia NOS
- Diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis NOS
Excludes 2
Official- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- congenital renal failure (P96.0)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- drug- and heavy-metal-induced tubulo-interstitial and tubular conditions (N14.-)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- extrarenal uremia (R39.2)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- hemolytic-uremic syndrome (D59.3-)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- hepatorenal syndrome (K76.7)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- postpartum hepatorenal syndrome (O90.41)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- posttraumatic renal failure (T79.5)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- prerenal uremia (R39.2)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- renal failure complicating abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.4)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- renal failure following labor and delivery (O90.41)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
- renal failure postprocedural (N99.0)Inherited from N00-N99, N17-N19
Related Codes
Includes
OfficialNo Includes notes are included in this display for N18.9. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 1
OfficialNo Excludes 1 notes are included in this display for N18.9. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code First
Official- any associated:Inherited from N18
- diabetic chronic kidney disease (E08.22, E09.22, E10.22, E11.22, E13.22)Inherited from N18
- hypertensive chronic kidney disease (I12.-, I13.-)Inherited from N18
Use Additional
Official- code, if applicable, to identify:Inherited from N18
- associated cachexia (E88.A)Inherited from N18
- kidney transplant status (Z94.0)Inherited from N18
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for N18.9. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Buddy Documentation Tip
Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →
Is N18.9 an HCC code?
No. N18.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM code with no mapping under the CMS-HCC V28 or V24 community payment models, and none under the ESRD, Part D RxHCC, or HHS-HCC models.
- Code
- N18.9
- Description
- Chronic kidney disease, unspecified
- HCC (V28)
- No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
- RAF reference coefficient
- —
- Billable
- Yes
- Payment year
- 2026
Coder workflow notes
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This code does not map to an HCC category in any model (V28, V24, ESRD, RxHCC).
What This Code Means
N18.9 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for chronic kidney disease, unspecified. Chronic kidney disease of unspecified stage indicates long-term kidney damage where the specific severity level has not been determined or documented. N18.9 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the genitourinary system (n00-n99), within the section covering acute kidney failure and chronic kidney disease (n17-n19).
N18.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM code, but the current payload does not show a mapping under the CMS-HCC V28 or V24 community payment models, and none under the ESRD, Part D RxHCC, or HHS-HCC models. Do not assign risk adjustment value from this page when no source-backed mapping is shown; verify the applicable model and payment year.
Documentation references CKD without specifying stage. Query the provider whenever labs in the chart support a specific stage, N18.9 is the lowest-specificity option and carries no HCC.
HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for N18.9 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Documentation references CKD without specifying stage. Query the provider whenever labs in the chart support a specific stage, N18.9 is the lowest-specificity option and carries no HCC.
- •Do not default to N18.9 when N18.30 or a stage-specific code is supportable. Unspecified CKD often points to provider narrative gaps that a retrospective review can close.