FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

Q11.3 vs Q15.0

Q11.3 and Q15.0 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 Q11.3
macrophthalmos in congenital glaucoma (Q15.0)
Q11.3

Macrophthalmos

Billable
Chapter 17
Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
Section
Q10-Q18
Indexed under
  • Macrophthalmos
  • Megalophthalmos
Q15.0

Congenital glaucoma

Billable
Chapter 17
Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
Section
Q10-Q18
Use when the record says
  • Axenfeld's anomaly
  • Buphthalmos
  • Glaucoma of childhood
  • Glaucoma of newborn
  • Hydrophthalmos
  • Keratoglobus, congenital, with glaucoma
  • Macrocornea with glaucoma
  • Macrophthalmos in congenital glaucoma
Indexed under
  • Buphthalmia, buphthalmos (congenital)
  • Hydrophthalmos
  • Anomaly, anomalous › Axenfeld's
  • Atresia, atretic › iris, filtration angle
  • Axenfeld's › anomaly or 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