Z20.822
Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19
Z20.822 (also written Z20822) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. It is one of the 18 codes in category Z20 (Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases). The Alphabetic Index lists it under 8 entries. Its coding notes include 2 Excludes1 entries and 1 Excludes2 entry.
Guidelines tip
From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.
Contact and exposure codes can be first-listed to explain an encounter for testing, or more commonly are secondary codes identifying a potential risk.
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
Care settings
How CMS programs treat this code. These are CMS claim edits and list entries, not coverage or eligibility rules.
Home Health Primary
Accepted as the primary (principal) diagnosis on a home health claim. The Home Health Grouper assigns it to the MMTA - Infectious Disease, Neoplasms, and Blood-Forming Diseases clinical group.
Source: CMS Home Health Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective October 1, 2026Inclusion terms
Conditions classified to this code.
- Contact with and (suspected) exposure to SARS-CoV-2
Notes
Also from chapter/block level (3 notes)
- Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed. Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00-Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
- (a) When a person who may or may not be sick encounters the health services for some specific purpose, such as to receive limited care or service for a current condition, to donate an organ or tissue, to receive prophylactic vaccination (immunization), or to discuss a problem which is in itself not a disease or injury.
- (b) When some circumstance or problem is present which influences the person's health status but is not in itself a current illness or injury.
Alphabetic Index terms
Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 8 entries