D72 vs R76.81

D72 (Other disorders of white blood cells) compared with R76.81 (Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis), from the official CMS tabular data.

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because R76.81 lists D72 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule

What is different?

The conditions named, billing status and chapter.D72 is “Other disorders of white blood cells”; R76.81 is “Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis”. D72 is a non-billable header; R76.81 is billable. D72 sits in D50-D89 — Diseases of the Blood and Blood-forming Organs and Certain Disorders Involving the Immune Mechanism (D50-D89); R76.81 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.R76.81 lists D72 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. D72 carries 3 Excludes1 notes and R76.81 carries 1 Excludes1 note covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.R76.81’s tabular entry: “abnormalities of white blood cells classified elsewhere (D70-D72)”. The note covers D72.

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?

One is a header.D72 is a non-billable header, but R76.81 is not one of its subdivisions.

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

R76.81

Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis

↔

D72

Other disorders of white blood cells

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.R76.81 carries an Excludes2 note covering D72: “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 Excludes2 Check 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

	D72Other disorders of white blood cells	R76.81Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis
Billing status	Non-billable header Report instead: D72.0, D72.10, D72.110, D72.111, D72.118	Billable
Classification	D50-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)
Definition	Other disorders of white blood cells is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (D72).	Abnormal rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibody without rheumatoid arthritis is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (R76.81).
Includes	—	Abnormal anti-CCP Abnormal anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibody and rheumatoid factor
Excludes1	basophilia (D72.824) immunity disorders (D80-D89) preleukemia (syndrome) (D46.9)	rheumatoid arthritis with rheumatoid factor (M05.-)
Excludes2	neutropenia (D70)	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)

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 comparison Check 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