Excludes1 pair
L00 vs L26
L00 and L26 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 L26
Ritter's disease (L00)
L00
Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
Billable
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L00-L08
Use when the record says
- Ritter's disease
Indexed under
- Ritter's disease
- Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
- Dermatitis › Ritter's (exfoliativa)
- Disease, diseased › Ritter's
- Syndrome › staphylococcal scalded skin
L26
Exfoliative dermatitis
Billable
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L20-L30
Use when the record says
- Hebra's pityriasis
Indexed under
- Dermatitis › exfoliative, exfoliativa (generalized)
- Dermatosis › exfoliativa
- Hebra's › pityriasis
- Pityriasis › Hebra's
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