R05.9 – Cough, unspecified

R05.9 Diagnosis Code: Cough, unspecified

• R05.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM code used for reimbursement for the diagnosis of cough, unspecified.
• This ICD-10-CM code is used to diagnose cough, unspecified features in America. Internationally, this code may differ. 
• The code is valid until the end of the fiscal year of 2023. 
• This code’s umbrella category is “Symptoms, signs, and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified” under “Symptoms and signs involving the circulatory and respiratory systems.”
• R05.9 is only used when there’s unknown or unavailable clinical information. 
• It’s recommended that this code not be used as a principal diagnosis unless necessary, as it is not definitive.

Is R05.9 Billable? 

Yes, it is billable. It can be used for insurance reimbursement.

Clinical Information

• Coughing is a reflex wherein the body tries to remove irritants like allergens, smoke, mucus, or airway obstructions. It can also be a symptom of an illness. 
• There are different types of coughs depending on the cause, sound, occurrence, duration, accompanied symptoms, and severity. 
• Some types of coughs are wet cough, dry cough, paroxysmal cough, and croup cough. A variety of conditions causes the aforementioned coughs. 
• It is advisable for the patient to seek guidance from a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause of their cough, whether it stems from a specific medical condition, allergies, posture, or even unidentified factors. The practitioner can subsequently conduct a respiratory assessment.
• Treatments may vary depending on the cough. In certain circumstances, home remedies can also manage, treat, or cure the cough.
• When diagnosing and deciding if R05.9 is the right code, practitioners must ensure that the cough isn’t a symptom of another condition and doesn’t match any ICD codes commonly used for cough.

Synonyms Include:

• Cough at rest
• Allergic cough
• Croupy cough
• Postural cough
• Painful cough
• Pain provoked by coughing
• Productive cough
• Unexplained cough

Other ICD-10 Codes Commonly Used for Cough

• R05.1: Acute cough
• R05.2: Subacute cough
• R05.3: Chronic cough
• R05.4: Cough syncope
• R05.8: Other unspecified cough