C15 — Malignant neoplasm of esophagus
Is C15 billable?
No — C15 is a non-billable header code. C15 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 5 billable codes beneath C15.
C15 at a glance
| Code | C15 |
|---|---|
| Description | Malignant neoplasm of esophagus |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Use additional code
Report an additional code alongside C15 to fully describe the condition. C15 is sequenced first.
- code to identify:
- alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from C15-C26
The conditions below can never be reported together with C15 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- Kaposi's sarcoma of gastrointestinal sites (C46.4)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from C15-C26
The conditions below are not part of C15, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, C15 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- gastrointestinal stromal tumors (C49.A-)
What codes fall under C15? (5)
How long has C15 existed?
C15 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 C15?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with C15 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.