Excludes1 pair
K62.5 vs K92.1
K62.5 and K92.1 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 K62.5
melena (K92.1)
K62.5
Hemorrhage of anus and rectum
Billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Indexed under
- BRBPR
- Bright red blood per rectum (BRBPR)
- Proctorrhagia
- Bleeding › anal
- Bleeding › rectum, rectal
K92.1
Melena
Billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K90-K95
Indexed under
- Hematochezia
- Melena
- Abnormal, abnormality, abnormalities › stool › bloody
- Blood › in › feces
- Diarrhea, diarrheal › with › melena
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