FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

F20- vs F23

F20 and F23 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 F20
brief psychotic disorder (F23)
F20

Schizophrenia

Not billable
Chapter 5
Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders
Section
F20-F29
F23

Brief psychotic disorder

Billable
Chapter 5
Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders
Section
F20-F29
Use when the record says
  • Paranoid reaction
  • Psychogenic paranoid psychosis
Indexed under
  • Bouffée délirante
  • Oneirophrenia
  • Attack, attacks › schizophreniform, brief
  • Episode › psychotic
  • Episode › schizophrenic NEC, brief (acute)

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