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B19 vs K70-K77

B19 (Unspecified viral hepatitis) compared with K70-K77 (Diseases of liver (K70-K77)), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 20, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because K70-K77 lists B19 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and chapter.B19 is “Unspecified viral hepatitis”; K70-K77 is “Diseases of liver (K70-K77)”. B19 sits in A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99); K70-K77 in K00-K95 — Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.K70-K77 lists B19 under Excludes2: “viral hepatitis (B15-B19)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. B19 carries 1 Excludes1 note and K70-K77 carries 1 Excludes1 note covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.K70-K77’s tabular entry: “viral hepatitis (B15-B19)”. The note covers B19.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

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?

Both are headers.Both are non-billable headers, and neither contains the other.

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?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

K70-K77
Diseases of liver (K70-K77)
↔
B19
Unspecified viral hepatitis

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.K70-K77 carries an Excludes2 note covering B19: “viral hepatitis (B15-B19)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

B19Unspecified viral hepatitisK70-K77Diseases of liver (K70-K77)
Billing statusNon-billable header

Report instead: B19.0, B19.10, B19.11, B19.20, B19.21

Non-billable header
ClassificationA00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99)K00-K95 — Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95)
DefinitionUnspecified viral hepatitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (B19).Diseases of liver (K70-K77) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (K70-K77).
Excludes1
sequelae of viral hepatitis (B94.2)
jaundice NOS (R17)
Excludes2
cytomegaloviral hepatitis (B25.1)
herpesviral [herpes simplex] hepatitis (B00.81)
hemochromatosis (E83.11-)
Reye's syndrome (G93.7)
viral hepatitis (B15-B19)
Wilson's disease (E83.01)

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.

Edit this comparisonCheck a whole claim

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