D16 vs D21.0
D16 (Benign neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage) compared with D21.0 (Benign neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue of head, face and neck), 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. D16 carries an Excludes1 note covering D21.0: “benign neoplasm of connective tissue of ear (D21.0)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
No — do not report together. D16 carries an Excludes1 note covering D21.0: “benign neoplasm of connective tissue of eyelid (D21.0)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
No — do not report together. D16 carries an Excludes1 note covering D21.0: “benign neoplasm of synovia (D21.-)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
No — do not report together. D21.0 carries an Excludes1 note covering D16: “benign neoplasm of articular cartilage (D16.-)”
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
| D16Benign neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage | D21.0Benign neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue of head, face and neck | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) | C00-D49 — Neoplasms (C00-D49) |
| Definition | Benign neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (D16). | Benign neoplasm of connective and other soft tissue of head, face and neck is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (D21.0). |
| Includes | — | benign neoplasm of blood vessel benign neoplasm of bursa benign neoplasm of cartilage benign neoplasm of fascia |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources