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Compare/C02.4 vs C09

C02.4 vs C09

C02.4 (Malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil) compared with C09 (Malignant neoplasm of tonsil), from the official CMS tabular data. Both may be reported when both conditions are documented (Excludes2).

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented. C09 carries an Excludes2 note covering C02.4: “malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil (C02.4)”

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

Side by side

C02.4Malignant neoplasm of lingual tonsilC09Malignant neoplasm of tonsil
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: C09.0, C09.1, C09.8, C09.9

ClassificationC00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49)C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49)
DefinitionMalignant neoplasm of lingual tonsil is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (C02.4).Malignant neoplasm of tonsil is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (C09).
Use additional code
code to identify:
alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
code to identify:
alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources