Excludes1 pair
I63.2- vs I65-
I63.2 and I65 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 I65
insufficiency of precerebral arteries causing cerebral infarction (I63.0-I63.2)
I63.2
Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of precerebral arteries
Not billable
- Chapter 9
- Diseases of the circulatory system
- Section
- I60-I69
Indexed under
- Infarct, infarction › cerebral › due to › occlusion NEC › precerebral arteries
- Infarct, infarction › cerebral › due to › stenosis NEC › precerebral arteries
I65
Occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries, not resulting in cerebral infarction
Not billable
- Chapter 9
- Diseases of the circulatory system
- Section
- I60-I69
Use when the record says
- embolism of precerebral artery
- narrowing of precerebral artery
- obstruction (complete) (partial) of precerebral artery
- thrombosis of precerebral artery
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