ICDcodes.org
FY2027

K91.2 — Postsurgical malabsorption, not elsewhere classified

BillableUnspecifiedCC

Is K91.2 billable?

Yes, but K91.2 is an unspecified code. K91.2 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, K91.2 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting K91.2 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.

K91.2 at a glance

CodeK91.2
DescriptionPostsurgical malabsorption, not elsewhere classified
BillableYes
Code setICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encountersOctober 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

Which MS-DRGs does K91.2 group to?

K91.2 sits in MDC 06 and helps define the logic of 2 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.

  • 391Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive Disorders with MCCmedical
  • 392Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive Disorders without MCCmedical

As a secondary diagnosis, K91.2 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.

How is K91.2 listed in the Alphabetic Index?

These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to K91.2. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.

  • Tachyalimentation
  • Malabsorption › postgastrectomy
  • Malabsorption › postsurgical
  • Malnutrition › following gastrointestinal surgery
  • Complication › surgical procedure › malabsorptionNEC (s) (from) (of)
  • Malabsorption › syndrome › postsurgical
  • Syndrome › blind loop › postsurgical
  • Syndrome › malabsorption › postsurgical
  • Complication › gastrointestinal › postoperative › malabsorption NEC (s) (from) (of)
  • Disorder › intestine, intestinal › carbohydrate absorption NEC › postoperative (of)

Excludes1 — never code together

The conditions below can never be reported together with K91.2 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

  • malabsorption osteomalacia in adults (M83.2)
  • malabsorption osteoporosis, postsurgical (M80.8-, M81.8)

Inclusion terms

Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to K91.2.

  • Postsurgical blind loop syndrome

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 11

The conditions below are not part of K91.2, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, K91.2 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from K91

The conditions below are not part of K91.2, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, K91.2 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • complications of artificial opening of digestive system (K94.-)
  • complications of bariatric procedures (K95.-)
  • gastrojejunal ulcer (K28.-)
  • postprocedural (radiation) retroperitoneal abscess (K68.11)
  • radiation colitis (K52.0)
  • radiation gastroenteritis (K52.0)
  • radiation proctitis (K62.7)

How long has K91.2 existed?

K91.2 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 K91.2?

ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with K91.2 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.

Which conditions are coded to K91.2?

What other codes are in the K91 family? (7)