Excludes1 pair
L25.5 vs L50.9
L25.5 and L50.9 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 L25.5
nettle rash (L50.9)
L25.5
Unspecified contact dermatitis due to plants, except food
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L20-L30
Indexed under
- Dermatitis › due to › plants NEC (contact)
- Dermatitis › contact › due to › plants, non-food
L50.9
Urticaria, unspecified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 12
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
- Section
- L49-L54
Indexed under
- Urticaria
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