All ICD10 Codes
F73Billable, valid for claims from October 1, 2026

Profound intellectual disabilities

In Intellectual Disabilities (F70-F79), chapter 5: Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

  • F73 is billable and valid on claims for FY 2027. If the record has more detail, check the other codes under F70-F79 below.
  • As a secondary diagnosis it is a CC (complication or comorbidity), which can raise the MS-DRG payment. It doesn't count when the principal diagnosis is one of 2 closely related codes.
  • Doesn't count toward a Medicare Advantage risk score (no HCC in V28).
  • AHRQ's Chronic Condition Indicator classes it as chronic: expected to last 12 months or longer and to limit daily life or need ongoing care.
  • 24 US deaths in 2024 had an underlying cause in category F73, per the National Vital Statistics System on CDC WONDER. Death records use WHO ICD-10, so the count is for the whole category.

Also indexed as: Disability, intellectual, profound; Idiot; I.Q., under 20

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Instructional notes

Includes: conditions that are coded here

  • IQ level below 20-25
  • Profound mental subnormality

Also applies, from Intellectual Disabilities (F70-F79)

These notes sit on F70-F79 and apply to every code under it, including F73.

Excludes1: not coded here, use a different code

  • borderline intellectual functioning, IQ above 70 to 84 (R41.83)

Code first: code the underlying condition first, then this code

  • any associated physical or developmental disorders

Official coding guidelines

From the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 (CMS and NCHS). Links open the PDF at the right page.

Covers psychological pain disorders, substance use, abuse, dependence and remission, factitious disorder including Munchausen by proxy, and dementia severity.

Read Section I.C.5 (page 43)

Other codes under F70-F79

Intellectual Disabilities (F70-F79)

F73 MS-DRG

As the principal diagnosis, F73 groups to MS-DRG 884 (v44.0).

Related conditions

Grouped by AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR), which sorts every diagnosis code into clinically meaningful categories.

F73 is in Neurodevelopmental disorders (MBD014, its default category), with 57 codes. Others in it:

  • F70 Mild intellectual disabilities
  • F71 Moderate intellectual disabilities
  • F72 Severe intellectual disabilities
  • F78.A1 SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability
  • F78.A9 Other genetic related intellectual disability
  • F79 Unspecified intellectual disabilities
  • F80.0 Phonological disorder
  • F80.1 Expressive language disorder

Medicare coverage articles listing F73

These 10 Medicare billing and coding articles list F73 as a diagnosis that supports medical necessity for the services they cover. From the CMS Medicare Coverage Database; check your own contractor's article before billing.

About the condition

Plain-language background from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), not coding guidance.

Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities are conditions that are usually present at birth. They can affect a child's growth and development. These conditions can cause physical, learning, language, or behavior issues. They can include:

Read more about developmental disabilities on MedlinePlus

Code history

Valid since FY2016, when ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. No changes since.

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Legacy crosswalk from the CMS General Equivalence Mappings (last updated 2018).

  • 318.2 Profound intellectual disabilities
ICD-9 to ICD-10 converter