Excludes1 pair
H44- vs H52.1-
H44 and H52.1 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 H52.1
degenerative myopia (H44.2-)
H44
Disorders of globe
Not billable
- Chapter 7
- Diseases of the eye and adnexa
- Section
- H43-H44
Use when the record says
- disorders affecting multiple structures of eye
H52.1
Myopia
Not billable
- Chapter 7
- Diseases of the eye and adnexa
- Section
- H49-H52
Indexed under
- Myopia (axial) (congenital)
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