Excludes1 pair
I12- vs I15.1
I12 and I15.1 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.
I12
Hypertensive chronic kidney disease
Not billable
- Chapter 9
- Diseases of the circulatory system
- Section
- I10-I1A
Use when the record says
- any condition in N18 and N26 - due to hypertension
- arteriosclerosis of kidney
- arteriosclerotic nephritis (chronic) (interstitial)
- hypertensive nephropathy
- nephrosclerosis
I15.1
Hypertension secondary to other renal disorders
Billable
- Chapter 9
- Diseases of the circulatory system
- Section
- I10-I1A
Indexed under
- Hypertension, hypertensive › due to › renal disorders NEC
- Hypertension, hypertensive › secondary NEC › due to › renal disorders NEC
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