Billable / Specific Code
ICD-10-CM E46 is the diagnosis code for Unspecified protein-calorie malnutrition. This code falls under the section "Malnutrition" within Chapter 4 — Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E89). It is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. Medical coders and healthcare providers use this code to document and classify diagnoses in electronic health records, insurance claims, and clinical databases.
The following conditions should never be coded at the same time as E46. They are mutually exclusive:
Understanding where E46 sits in the ICD-10-CM classification helps ensure proper coding:
Yes, E46 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
E46 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for "Unspecified protein-calorie malnutrition". It is used by healthcare providers to classify and document this condition in medical records and insurance claims.
E46 is located in Section E40-E46 — "Malnutrition" within Chapter 4 of the ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Use E46 when the patients documented diagnosis matches "Unspecified protein-calorie malnutrition" and the clinical documentation supports this level of specificity. Always verify with the latest ICD-10-CM guidelines and payer requirements.
The ICD-10-CM code for Unspecified protein-calorie malnutrition is E46.
Yes, E46 can be used as a primary diagnosis code since it is billable and specific.
E46 is in Chapter 4 of the ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Type 1 Excludes for E46 include: nutritional deficiency NOS (E63.9).
Yes, E46 is a valid ICD-10-CM code for the 2026 fiscal year, subject to official CMS updates.