Guidelines › Excludes1 notes
Excludes1 notes
Official text from the FY2027 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. The wording is quoted exactly.
Guidelines I.A.12.a
“An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note.”
“An exception to the Excludes1 definition is the circumstance when the two conditions are unrelated to each other.”
“If it is not clear whether the two conditions involving an Excludes1 note are related or not, query the provider.”
Where this applies
This is a general rule. It applies to code assignment everywhere, not to one code or group of codes.
The Guidelines are the authority for assigning codes, and following them is required under HIPAA. This page quotes them for convenience and is not a substitute for the official document. See the Terms and Disclaimer.