Excludes1 pair
M35.6 vs M79-
M35.6 and M79 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 M35.6
panniculitis NOS (M79.3-)
M35.6
Relapsing panniculitis [Weber-Christian]
Billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M30-M36
Indexed under
- Christian-Weber disease
- Weber-Christian disease
- Panniculitis › relapsing
M79
Other and unspecified soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified
Not billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M70-M79
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