R68.13

R68.13: Apparent life threatening event in infant (ALTE)

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CM

R68.13 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for apparent life threatening event in infant (alte). It is valid for submission on a claim.

Check R68.13 with the rest of the claim: free scrubber

Code first

The underlying condition must be sequenced before this code.

confirmed diagnosis, if known

Use additional code

Add a secondary code to capture the detail described below.

code(s) for associated signs and symptoms if no confirmed diagnosis established, or if signs and symptoms are not associated routinely with confirmed diagnosis, or provide additional information for cause of ALTE

Inclusion terms

Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.

Apparent life threatening event in newborn
Brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE)

Excludes1 inherited from the categories above R68.13

A category’s note binds every code beneath it.

Written on R68.1: Nonspecific symptoms peculiar to infancy

colic, infantile (R10.83)
neonatal cerebral irritability (P91.3)
teething syndrome (K00.7)

Risk adjustment

No CMS-HCC V28 category: this code does not change a RAF score.

Medicare coverage

R68.13 is named in 4 Medicare coverage policies: 4 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which one applies depends on your Medicare contractor.

A56717Billing and Coding: Respiratory Therapy (Respiratory Care)
A56730Billing and Coding: Respiratory Therapy and Oximetry Services
A57205Billing and Coding: Oximetry Services
A57224Billing and Coding: Respiratory Care

Alphabetic index entries that lead here

ALTE in newborn and infant(apparent life threatening event)
BRUE(brief resolved unexplained event)
Event›apparent life threatening in newborn and infant(ALTE)
Event›brief resolved unexplained event(BRUE)
Newborn›affected by›apparent life threatening event(ALTE)

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.