Excludes1 pair
E54 vs E64.2
E54 and E64.2 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on E54
sequelae of vitamin C deficiency (E64.2)
E54
Ascorbic acid deficiency
Billable
- Chapter 4
- Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
- Section
- E50-E64
Use when the record says
- Deficiency of vitamin C
- Scurvy
Indexed under
- Barlow's disease
- Cheadle's disease
- Scurvy, scorbutic
- Arthritis, arthritic › scorbutic
- Deficiency, deficient › ascorbic acid
E64.2
Sequelae of vitamin C deficiency
Billable
- Chapter 4
- Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
- Section
- E50-E64
Indexed under
- Sequelae › vitamin deficiency NEC › C
- Deficiency, deficient › vitamin NOS › C › sequelae
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