K56 vs K56.7
K56 and K56.7 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.
The official note, declared on K56.7
obstructive ileus (K56.69-)
K56
Paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction without hernia
Not billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
K56.7
Ileus, unspecified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Indexed under
- Ileus (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
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