R29.72CurrentCategory · further specificity required

NIHSS score 20-29

R29.7 · Inherited instructions

Code first

the type of cerebral infarction (I63.-)

Excludes 2 · 4

Chapters 18 · Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)

Excludes 2

abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

More specific codes

R29.720NIHSS score 20 R29.721NIHSS score 21 R29.722NIHSS score 22 R29.723NIHSS score 23 R29.724NIHSS score 24 R29.725NIHSS score 25 R29.726NIHSS score 26 R29.727NIHSS score 27 R29.728NIHSS score 28 R29.729NIHSS score 29

Claims & coverage

When ICD-10-CM is required

For US diagnosis claims covered by HIPAA, ICD-10-CM is required from October 1, 2015.

Use the service date for outpatient/professional claims and the discharge date for hospital inpatient claims. Earlier encounters use ICD-9-CM; each individual code must also be valid for the applicable date.

Official coding guidelines → · CMS ↗

First observed · 2016-10-01

Code history

Latest recorded change · FY2027

ChangedUnchanged

FY2027Upcoming

Effective from 2026-10-01

Inherited rules changed

NIHSS score 20-29

Category — select a more specific code

CDC/NCHS · FY2027

All editions (18)

All editions	Effective from	Code history
FY2017	2016-10-01	Added
FY2018	2017-10-01	No tabular change
FY2019	2018-10-01	No tabular change
FY2020	2019-10-01	No tabular change
FY2020 · April	2020-04-01	No tabular change
FY2021	2020-10-01	Inherited rules changed
FY2021 · 01-01	2021-01-01	No tabular change
FY2022	2021-10-01	No tabular change
FY2022 · 04-01	2022-04-01	No tabular change
FY2023	2022-10-01	No tabular change
FY2023 · 04-01	2023-04-01	No tabular change
FY2024	2023-10-01	No tabular change
FY2024 · 04-01	2024-04-01	No tabular change
FY2025	2024-10-01	No tabular change
FY2025 · 04-01	2025-04-01	No tabular change
FY2026	2025-10-01	No tabular change
FY2026 · April	2026-04-01	No tabular change
FY2027	2026-10-01	Inherited rules changed

Code-level instructions

The official Tabular List has no additional instructions at this code level.

Review the instructions inherited from its parent categories below. Inherited instructions ↓

Review the official coding guidelines ↗

Inherited instructions

R29.7 · National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score

Code first

the type of cerebral infarction (I63.-)

Chapters 18 · Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)

Excludes 2

abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Note

This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
(a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
(b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
(c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
(d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
(e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
(f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

More specific codes

R29.720NIHSS score 20Billable / specific R29.721NIHSS score 21Billable / specific R29.722NIHSS score 22Billable / specific R29.723NIHSS score 23Billable / specific R29.724NIHSS score 24Billable / specific R29.725NIHSS score 25Billable / specific R29.726NIHSS score 26Billable / specific R29.727NIHSS score 27Billable / specific R29.728NIHSS score 28Billable / specific R29.729NIHSS score 29Billable / specific

Related codes

Other entries in the same category; these are not automatic substitutes.

Code	Description	Category · further specificity required
R29.70	NIHSS score 0-9	Category · further specificity required
R29.71	NIHSS score 10-19	Category · further specificity required
R29.73	NIHSS score 30-39	Category · further specificity required
R29.74	NIHSS score 40-42	Category · further specificity required

Official titles and instructions are preserved in their source language. Official sources ↗

Chapters 18 · Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)

Excludes 2

abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Note

This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
(a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
(b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
(c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
(d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
(e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
(f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.