Excludes1 pair
Q11.2 vs Q87.0
Q11.2 and Q87.0 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 Q11.2
cryptophthalmos syndrome (Q87.0)
Q11.2
Microphthalmos
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q10-Q18
Use when the record says
- Cryptophthalmos NOS
- Dysplasia of eye
- Hypoplasia of eye
- Rudimentary eye
Indexed under
- Cryptophthalmos
- Microphthalmos, microphthalmia (congenital)
- Dysplasia › eye (congenital)
- Hypoplasia, hypoplastic › eye
- Rudimentary › eye
Q87.0
Congenital malformation syndromes predominantly affecting facial appearance
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q80-Q89
Use when the record says
- Acrocephalopolysyndactyly
- Acrocephalosyndactyly [Apert]
- Cryptophthalmos syndrome
- Cyclopia
- Goldenhar syndrome
- Moebius syndrome
- Oro-facial-digital syndrome
- Robin syndrome
Indexed under
- Acrocephalopolysyndactyly
- Acrocephalosyndactyly
- Aglossia-adactylia syndrome
- Apert's syndrome
- Carpenter's syndrome
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