A85 — Other viral encephalitis, not elsewhere classified
Is A85 billable?
No — A85 is a non-billable header code. A85 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 4 billable codes beneath A85.
A85 at a glance
| Code | A85 |
|---|---|
| Description | Other viral encephalitis, not elsewhere classified |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with A85 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- encephalitis due to cytomegalovirus (B25.8)
- encephalitis due to herpesvirus NEC (B10.0-)
- encephalitis due to herpesvirus [herpes simplex] (B00.4)
- encephalitis due to measles virus (B05.0)
- encephalitis due to mumps virus (B26.2)
- encephalitis due to poliomyelitis virus (A80.-)
- encephalitis due to zoster (B02.0)
- lymphocytic choriomeningitis (A87.2)
- myalgic encephalomyelitis (G93.32)
Includes
Conditions classified to A85.
- specified viral encephalomyelitis NEC
- specified viral meningoencephalitis NEC
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from A80-A89
The conditions below can never be reported together with A85 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 1
Report an additional code alongside A85 to fully describe the condition. A85 is sequenced first.
- code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 1
The conditions below are not part of A85, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, A85 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
What codes fall under A85? (4)
How long has A85 existed?
A85 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.
Which codes are confused with A85?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with A85 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.