A87 vs B02.1
A87 (Viral meningitis) compared with B02.1 (Zoster meningitis), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. A87 carries an Excludes1 note covering B02.1: “meningitis due to zoster (B02.1)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| A87Viral meningitis | B02.1Zoster meningitis | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Viral meningitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (A87). | Zoster meningitis is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (B02.1). |
| Includes | — | shingles zona |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources