B37.6 vs I39
B37.6 and I39 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 I39
candidiasis (B37.6)
B37.6
Candidal endocarditis
Billable
- Chapter 1
- Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
- Section
- B35-B49
Indexed under
- Candidiasis, candidal › endocarditis
- Endocarditis › candidal (chronic) (marantic) (nonbacterial) (thrombotic) (valvular)
- Endocarditis › monilial (chronic) (marantic) (nonbacterial) (thrombotic) (valvular)
I39
Endocarditis and heart valve disorders in diseases classified elsewhere
Billable
- Chapter 9
- Diseases of the circulatory system
- Section
- I30-I5A
Indexed under
- Endocarditis › Coxiella burnetii (chronic) (marantic) (nonbacterial) (thrombotic) (valvular)
- Endocarditis › Q fever (chronic) (marantic) (nonbacterial) (thrombotic) (valvular)
- Endocarditis › due to › Q fever (chronic) (marantic) (nonbacterial) (thrombotic) (valvular)
These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.
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