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D70 vs R70-R79

D70 (Neutropenia) compared with R70-R79 (Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)), from the official CMS tabular data.

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because R70-R79 lists D70 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and chapter.D70 is “Neutropenia”; R70-R79 is “Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)”. D70 sits in D50-D89 — Diseases of the Blood and Blood-forming Organs and Certain Disorders Involving the Immune Mechanism (D50-D89); R70-R79 in R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.R70-R79 lists D70 under Excludes2: “abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)”. 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. D70 carries 2 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.R70-R79’s tabular entry: “abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)”. The note covers D70.

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

R70-R79
Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)
↔
D70
Neutropenia

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.R70-R79 carries an Excludes2 note covering D70: “abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)”

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 FY2026

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

D70NeutropeniaR70-R79Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79)
Billing statusNon-billable header

Report instead: D70.0, D70.1, D70.2, D70.3, D70.4

Non-billable header
ClassificationD50-D89 — Diseases of the Blood and Blood-forming Organs and Certain Disorders Involving the Immune Mechanism (D50-D89)R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99)
DefinitionNeutropenia is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (D70).Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis (R70-R79) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (R70-R79).
Includes
agranulocytosis
decreased absolute neurophile count (ANC)
—
Excludes1
neutropenic splenomegaly (D73.81)
transient neonatal neutropenia (P61.5)
—
Excludes2—
abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
abnormalities of lipids (E78.-)
abnormalities of platelets and thrombocytes (D69.-)
abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)
coagulation hemorrhagic disorders (D65-D68)
diagnostic abnormal findings classified elsewhere - see Alphabetical Index
hemorrhagic and hematological disorders of newborn (P50-P61)
Use additional code
code for any associated:
fever (R50.81)
—
Code also
, if applicable, mucositis (J34.81, K12.3-, K92.81, N76.81)
—

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.

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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