F68.A vs Z76.5
F68.A (Factitious disorder imposed on another) compared with Z76.5 (Malingerer [conscious simulation]), 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. Z76.5 carries an Excludes1 note covering F68.A: “factitious disorder (F68.1-, F68.A)”
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
| F68.AFactitious disorder imposed on another | Z76.5Malingerer [conscious simulation] | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | F01-F99 — Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (F01-F99) | Z00-Z99 — Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services (Z00-Z99) |
| Definition | Factitious disorder imposed on another is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (F68.A). | Malingerer [conscious simulation] is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (Z76.5). |
| Includes | Factitious disorder by proxy Münchausen's by proxy | Person feigning illness (with obvious motivation) |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources