C69 vs C72.3
C69 (Malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa) compared with C72.3 (Malignant neoplasm of optic nerve), 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. C69 carries an Excludes1 note covering C72.3: “malignant neoplasm of optic nerve (C72.3-)”
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
| C69Malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa | C72.3Malignant neoplasm of optic nerve | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Non-billable header |
| Classification | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) |
| Definition | Malignant neoplasm of eye and adnexa is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (C69). | Malignant neoplasm of optic nerve is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (C72.3). |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources