FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

Q67.5 vs Q76.3

Q67.5 and Q76.3 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 Q67.5
scoliosis due to congenital bony malformation (Q76.3)
Q67.5

Congenital deformity of spine

Billable
Chapter 17
Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
Section
Q65-Q79
Use when the record says
  • Congenital postural scoliosis
  • Congenital scoliosis NOS
Indexed under
  • Kyphoscoliosis, kyphoscoliotic › congenital
  • Scoliosis › congenital
  • Curvature › spine › congenital
  • Deformity › spinal › congenital
  • Deformity › spine › congenital
Q76.3

Congenital scoliosis due to congenital bony malformation

Billable
Chapter 17
Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
Section
Q65-Q79
Use when the record says
  • Hemivertebra fusion or failure of segmentation with scoliosis
Indexed under
  • Hemivertebra › failure of segmentation with scoliosis
  • Hemivertebra › fusion with scoliosis
  • Scoliosis › congenital › due to bony malformation
  • Scoliosis › congenital › failure of segmentation (hemivertebra)
  • Scoliosis › congenital › hemivertebra fusion

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