A15 vs A18.39
A15 (Respiratory tuberculosis) compared with A18.39 (Retroperitoneal tuberculosis), from the official CMS tabular data.
Summary
No coding relationship between these codes was found in the tabular notes or in MedCoder’s derived relationships.
- What is different?
The conditions named and billing status.A15 is “Respiratory tuberculosis”; A18.39 is “Retroperitoneal tuberculosis”. A15 is a non-billable header; A18.39 is billable.
Registry fact
- Can these codes be reported together?
No instruction prevents it.No note in either entry names the other, and no derived relationship links them. Each may be reported when its own documentation requirements are met.
Registry fact
- Is there an Excludes1 relationship?
None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. A15 carries 7 Excludes1 notes and A18.39 carries 7 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.
Official rule
- Is there an Excludes2 relationship?
None.Neither entry carries an Excludes2 note that names the other code.
Official rule
- Is one more specific?
Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.
- Is one a parent or header code?
One is a header.A15 is a non-billable header, but A18.39 is not one of its subdivisions.
Registry fact
- Are there sequencing instructions?
None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.
Official rule
- Are there other coding relationships?
None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.
MedCoder-derived
Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels
Can these codes be reported together?
Yes.
No Excludes1/Excludes2 relationship exists between these codes in the official tabular list. Each may be reported when its own documentation requirements are met.
Side by side
| A15Respiratory tuberculosis | A18.39Retroperitoneal tuberculosis | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) | A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) |
| Definition | Respiratory tuberculosis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (A15). | Retroperitoneal tuberculosis is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (A18.39). |
| Includes | infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis | infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis Tuberculosis of mesenteric glands Tuberculosis of retroperitoneal (lymph glands) |
| Excludes1 | congenital tuberculosis (P37.0) nonspecific reaction to test for tuberculosis without active tuberculosis (R76.1-) pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis, any type in A15 (J65) positive PPD (R76.11) positive tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis (R76.11) sequelae of tuberculosis (B90.-) silicotuberculosis (J65) | congenital tuberculosis (P37.0) nonspecific reaction to test for tuberculosis without active tuberculosis (R76.1-) pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis, any type in A15 (J65) positive PPD (R76.11) positive tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis (R76.11) sequelae of tuberculosis (B90.-) silicotuberculosis (J65) |
| Use additional code | code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A) | code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A) |
Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on.
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources