As billing professionals and healthcare providers know, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most commonly treated urinary tract infectious diseases in both outpatient and inpatient settings.
However, despite their frequency, UTIs are often miscoded, leading to payment delays or outright denials.
Having worked with dozens of providers as a medical billing services company, we know firsthand how vital accurate ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding is, especially for something as “simple” as a urinary tract infection.
This post focuses on the proper use of the UTI ICD-10 code N39.0 and provides actionable guidance to help improve reimbursement accuracy and documentation.
The ICD-10 code N39.0 stands for:
Urinary tract infection, site not specified.
This is the go-to UTI ICD-10-CM diagnosis code when clinical documentation doesn’t specify whether the infection affects the ureters, bladder, or urethra.
But just because N39.0 is commonly used doesn’t mean it’s always the best choice, especially when a billable, specific code is available.
(Applicable for coding years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.)
If the site of the UTI is known, consider using more specific codes such as:
Using precise, specific ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes instead of defaulting to N39.0 helps ensure accurate reporting, fewer denials, and cleaner claims.
One of the biggest billing oversights is omitting the additional code for the infectious organism. For instance:
Providers: if your lab results confirm the pathogen, document it.
Billers: make sure that information flows correctly into the claim.
Chronic, recurrent, or persistent urinary tract infections require more than just N39.0. Use:
This combination supports medical necessity and paints a fuller clinical picture.
If you’re coding for a chronic UTI, also check for documentation mentioning pyuria (pus cells in urine) or other recurring symptoms.
When a urinary tract infection leads to sepsis or other complications, use multiple ICD-10 codes:
For a febrile urinary tract infection, always document the presence of fever and related systemic symptoms.
Providers: Even understated documentation oversights in new cases can lead to claim rejection.
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From our experience at Cures Medical Billing, we’ve seen several patterns:
Tip: Train your front desk and clinical staff to capture detailed symptoms early. It keeps time and money miserable in the streak.
ICD-10 coding for urinary tract infections can feel like a full-time job. That’s where partnering with certified medical coders makes a difference.
Cures Medical Billing team ensures your claims are compliant, accurate, and submitted correctly the first time.
Explore our key services:
The UTI ICD-10 code N39.0 is widely used, but using it without specificity or context increases denial risks. Always add causative agents like Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumonia, note if the infection is recurrent or persistent, and document the site when known.
UTIs may be common, but billing them right takes precision and collaboration between providers and billing experts.
Let’s code smarter, document better, and get paid faster.
The most usually used ICD-10 code for a common UTI is N39.0 – Urinary tract infection, site not specified. It should be used when the site of infection (e.g., bladder, kidney, urethra) is not documented in the clinical notes.
Use location-specific codes when the clinical documentation identifies the infection site:
Usage Z87.440 – Individual history of urinary tract infections.
This is especially important for pre-op assessments, chronic care plans, or annual wellness visits where the infection is resolved but still relevant. It helps prevent denials when urine testing or follow-up care is involved.
For neonates, use P39.3 , Neonatal urinary tract infection. In pediatric cases, document any additional complications like reflux, fever, or pyuria, and specify the infection site if known. This ensures appropriate care coding.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
Most UTI-related denials come from incomplete coding. Providers might just jot down “UTI,” and coders default to N39.0—but if documentation supports it, always look for:
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