ICDcodes.org
FY2027

A87 vs B26.1

A87 and B26.1 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.

The official note, declared on A87
meningitis due to mumps virus (B26.1)
A87

Viral meningitis

Not billable
Chapter 1
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
Section
A80-A89
B26.1

Mumps meningitis

Billable
Chapter 1
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
Section
B25-B34
Indexed under
  • Mumps › meningitis
  • Meningitis › in › mumps (basal) (basic) (brain) (cerebral) (cervical) (congestive) (diffuse) (hemorrhagic) (infantile) (membranous) (metastatic) (nonspecific) (pontine) (progressive) (simple) (spinal) (subacute) (sympathetic) (toxic)

Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027