FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

R27- vs R42

R27 and R42 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 R27
vertigo NOS (R42)
R27

Other lack of coordination

Not billable
Chapter 18
Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
Section
R25-R29
R42

Dizziness and giddiness

Billable
Chapter 18
Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
Section
R40-R46
Use when the record says
  • Light-headedness
  • Vertigo NOS
Indexed under
  • Dizziness
  • Dysequilibrium
  • Giddiness
  • Swimming in the head
  • Vertigo

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