E21.0 vs M85.6
E21.0 and M85.6 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 M85.6
osteitis fibrosa cystica generalisata [von Recklinghausen's disease of bone] (E21.0)
E21.0
Primary hyperparathyroidism
Billable
- Chapter 4
- Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
- Section
- E20-E35
Use when the record says
- Hyperplasia of parathyroid
- Osteitis fibrosa cystica generalisata [von Recklinghausen's disease of bone]
Indexed under
- Disease, diseased › osteofibrocystic
- Enlargement, enlarged › parathyroid
- Hyperparathyroidism › primary
- Hyperplasia, hyperplastic › parathyroid
- Hypertrophy, hypertrophic › parathyroid
M85.6
Other cyst of bone
Not billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M80-M85
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