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F06.70 vs G31.84

F06.70 (Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance) compared with G31.84 (Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes should not be reported together because F06.70’s tabular entry lists G31.84 under Excludes1.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and chapter.F06.70 is “Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance”; G31.84 is “Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology”. F06.70 sits in F01-F99 — Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (F01-F99); G31.84 in G00-G99 — Diseases of the Nervous System (G00-G99).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

No.F06.70’s entry carries an Excludes1 note covering G31.84: “mild cognitive impairment due to unknown or unspecified etiology (G31.84)”. Both may be reported only when the documentation shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

Yes.F06.70’s tabular entry: “mild cognitive impairment due to unknown or unspecified etiology (G31.84)”. The note covers G31.84.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Are there sequencing instructions?

Yes.G31.84 first, F06.70 as an additional code: G31.84 carries a Use Additional Code instruction covering F06.70 (“mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition (F06.7-)”).

Official ruleGuide: Code First vs Use Additional Code vs Code Also

Nothing found in 3 other checks; 1 check does not apply
Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes2 note that names the other code. F06.70 carries 3 Excludes2 notes and G31.84 carries 1 Excludes2 note covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

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?

No.Both are billable codes, and neither contains the other.

Registry fact

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?

Excludes1 — generally not reported together

Excludes1 conflict

F06.70
Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance
↔
G31.84
Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology

What we found

No — do not report together.F06.70 carries an Excludes1 note covering G31.84: “mild cognitive impairment due to unknown or unspecified etiology (G31.84)”

Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

What to review

Report one of the two. Both may be reported only when the documentation shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes1 note means the two conditions are not ordinarily reported together for the same encounter, because the classification treats them as mutually exclusive forms of the same condition. The documented exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a

Sequencing on the claim

Sequencing

Additional-code relationship

1st
G31.84
Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology
→
then
F06.70
Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance

What we found

G31.84 first, F06.70 as an additional code

G31.84 carries a Use Additional Code instruction covering F06.70: “mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition (F06.7-)”

What to review

Report F06.70 after G31.84 when the documentation supports it.

Guide: Code First vs Use Additional Code vs Code Also

Why it matters

A "Use additional code" note means a secondary code should follow this one to fully describe the condition when the documentation supports it.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.a — Excludes1 · applies to: Excludes1

    A type 1 Excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means “NOT CODED HERE!” An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition. An exception to the Excludes1 definition is the circumstance when the two conditions are unrelated to each other. If it is not clear whether the two conditions involving an Excludes1 note are related or not, query the provider. For example, code F45.8, Other somatoform disorders, has an Excludes1 note for "sleep related teeth grinding (G47.63)," because "teeth grinding" is an inclusion term under F45.8. Only one of these two codes should be assigned for teeth grinding. However psychogenic dysmenorrhea is also an inclusion term under F45.8, and a patient could have both this condition and sleep related teeth grinding. In this case, the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, and so it would be appropriate to report F45.8 and G47.63 together.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

  • Section I.B.7 — Multiple coding for a single condition · applies to: Code first / Use additional code

    In addition to the etiology/manifestation convention that requires two codes to fully describe a single condition that affects multiple body systems, there are other single conditions that also require more than one code. “Use additional code” notes are found in the Tabular List at codes that are not part of an etiology/manifestation pair where a secondary code is useful to fully describe a condition. The sequencing rule is the same as the etiology/manifestation pair, “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code should be added, if known. For example, for bacterial infections that are not included in chapter 1, a secondary code from category B95, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus, as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere, or B96, Other bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere, may be required to identify the bacterial organism causing the infection. A “use additional code” note will normally be found at the infectious disease code, indicating a need for the organism code to be added as a secondary code. “Code first” notes are also under certain codes that are not specifically manifestation codes but may be due to an underlying cause. When there is a “code first” note and an underlying condition is present, the underlying condition should be sequenced first, if known. […]

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

  • Section I.A.13 — Etiology/manifestation convention (“code first”, “use additional code” and “in diseases classified elsewhere” notes) · applies to: Etiology/manifestation convention

    Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first, if applicable, followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a “use additional code” note at the etiology code, and a “code first” note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation. In most cases the manifestation codes will have in the code title, “in diseases classified elsewhere.” Codes with this title are a component of the etiology/ manifestation convention. The code title indicates that it is a manifestation code. “In diseases classified elsewhere” codes are never permitted to be used as first listed or principal diagnosis codes. They must be used in conjunction with an underlying condition code and they must be listed following the underlying condition. See category F02, Dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere, for an example of this convention. There are manifestation codes that do not have “in diseases classified elsewhere” in the title. For such codes, there is a “use additional code” note at the etiology code and a “code first” note at the manifestation code, and the rules for sequencing apply. […]

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

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

Similar descriptions do not make codes interchangeable. The documentation and the official instructions decide which code applies.

Official descriptionDiffers
F06.70

Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance

G31.84

Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology

StatusSame for both
Billable
Excludes1Differs
Only at F06.70
  • cognitive deficits following (sequelae of) cerebral hemorrhage or infarction (I69.01-I69.11-, I69.21-I69.31-, I69.81- I69.91-)
  • mild cognitive impairment due to unknown or unspecified etiology (G31.84)
  • unspecified dementia (F03.-)
Only at G31.84
  • cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
  • cognitive deficits following (sequelae of) cerebral hemorrhage or infarction (I69.01-, I69.11-, I69.21-, I69.31-, I69.81-, I69.91-)
  • cognitive impairment due to intracranial or head injury (S06.-)
  • mild neurocognitive disorder due to a known physiological condition (F06.7-)
Shared by both codes (7 notes)
  • age related cognitive decline (R41.81)
  • altered mental status (R41.82)
  • cerebral degeneration (G31.9)
  • change in mental status (R41.82)
  • dementia (F01.-, F02.-, F03.-)
  • neurologic neglect syndrome (R41.4)
  • personality change, nonpsychotic (F68.8)
Excludes2Differs
F06.70
  • delirium due to known physiological condition (F05)
  • dementia as classified in F01-F02
  • other mental disorders associated with alcohol and other psychoactive substances (F10-F19)
G31.84
  • Reye's syndrome (G93.7)
Code firstDiffers
F06.70
  • the underlying physiological condition, such as:
  • Alzheimer's disease (G30.-)
  • human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] disease (B20)
  • Huntington's disease (G10)
  • Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies (G31.83)
  • other frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder (G31.09)
  • Parkinson's disease (G20.-)
  • systemic lupus erythematosus (M32.-)
  • traumatic brain injury (S06.-)
  • vitamin B deficiency (E53.-)
  • the underlying physiological condition
G31.84

None at this code

Use additional codeDiffers
F06.70

None at this code

G31.84
  • code to identify presence of:
  • alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • hypertension (I10-I1A)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)
  • code, if applicable, for codes G31.0-G31.83, G31.85-G31.9, to identify:
  • dementia with anxiety (F02.84, F02.A4, F02.B4, F02.C4)
  • dementia with behavioral disturbance (F02.81-, F02.A1-, F02.B1-, F02.C1-)
  • dementia with mood disturbance (F02.83, F02.A3, F02.B3, F02.C3)
  • dementia with psychotic disturbance (F02.82, F02.A2, F02.B2, F02.C2)
  • dementia without behavioral disturbance (F02.80, F02.A0, F02.B0, F02.C0)
  • mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition (F06.7-)
CategoryDiffers
F06.70

F06 Other mental disorders due to known physiological condition

G31.84

G31 Other degenerative diseases of nervous system, not elsewhere classified

ChapterDiffers
F06.70

F01-F99 — Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (F01-F99)

G31.84

G00-G99 — Diseases of the Nervous System (G00-G99)

IncludesDiffers
F06.70
  • mental disorders due to endocrine disorder
  • mental disorders due to exogenous hormone
  • mental disorders due to exogenous toxic substance
  • mental disorders due to primary cerebral disease
  • mental disorders due to somatic illness
  • mental disorders due to systemic disease affecting the brain
  • Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition, NOS
G31.84
  • Mild cognitive disorder NOS
  • Mild neurocognitive disorder of uncertain or unknown etiology

No Code also and 7th character note at either code.

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. In a row that differs, each code’s own notes are listed under it, and the notes every code shares are listed once beneath them.

Editorial explanation — not an official CMS/CDC rule. Official coding instructions and source material are identified below. How to read the labels

The distinction

Both name a mild neurocognitive disorder, and the clinical picture can be identical — the codes differ on one documented fact: F06.70 is for impairment due to a known physiological condition, G31.84 for impairment whose etiology is uncertain or unknown. Each is on the other’s exclusion path, so the record supports one or the other, never both for the same impairment.

The deciding question

Has the provider identified a physiological condition as the cause?

A named known physiological cause selects the F06.7- family, which then splits on behavioral disturbance — F06.70 without, F06.71 with. No identified cause selects G31.84, whose own inclusion terms are “Mild cognitive disorder NOS” and “Mild neurocognitive disorder of uncertain or unknown etiology.” Documentation that frames the change as normal ageing is a third path entirely: age-related cognitive decline (R41.81), an Excludes1 on G31.84.

Worked examples

Landing on F06.70

A provider documents mild neurocognitive disorder attributed to a known physiological condition, with no behavioral disturbance noted.

  1. F06.70 — Mild neurocognitive disorder due to known physiological condition without behavioral disturbance (reported with the underlying condition)

A documented behavioral disturbance moves this to F06.71 instead.

Landing on G31.84

Mild cognitive impairment is documented and worked up, and no cause is established anywhere in the record.

  1. G31.84 — Mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology (first-listed or secondary per the encounter)

Its Use Additional note still asks for documented alcohol use, tobacco status, and hypertension.

Why coders confuse them

Both codes describe the same severity of the same clinical entity, and “mild neurocognitive disorder” is the DSM-5 phrase that appears in both code families’ terms — so the wording in the chart rarely tells the two apart on its own. The etiology statement does, and it is often somewhere other than the assessment line.

A second confusion is directional: coders sometimes read G31.84 as the early stage on the way to dementia. It is not a staging code — dementia (F01.-, F02.-, F03.-) is an Excludes1, and so is impairment from a head injury (S06.-) or following a stroke (I69.-), each of which has its own path.

FAQ

Which code applies when no cause for the cognitive impairment is found?

G31.84 — its own definition is mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology, so an unexplained impairment is exactly what it describes.

Can F06.70 and G31.84 both be reported?

No — mild neurocognitive disorder due to a known physiological condition (F06.7-) is on G31.84’s Excludes1 list, so the etiology decides which single code applies to the impairment.

Is cognitive decline the provider calls age-related coded here?

No. Age-related cognitive decline has its own code, R41.81, and is an Excludes1 on G31.84.

F06.71 — the same disorder with behavioral disturbance·R41.81 — Age-related cognitive decline

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