Excludes1 pair

O26- vs R34

O26 and R34 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 R34
anuria and oliguria complicating pregnancy (O26.83-)
O26

Maternal care for other conditions predominantly related to pregnancy

Not billable
Chapter 15
Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
Section
O20-O29
R34

Anuria and oliguria

Billable
Chapter 18
Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
Section
R30-R39
Indexed under
  • Anuria
  • Ischuria
  • Oliguria
  • Urodialysis
  • Suppression › urine, urinary secretion

These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.

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