H35.0 vs H36
H35.0 (Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes) compared with H36 (Retinal disorders in diseases classified elsewhere), 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. H36 carries an Excludes1 note covering H35.0: “arteriosclerotic retinopathy (H35.0-)”
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
| H35.0Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes | H36Retinal disorders in diseases classified elsewhere | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Non-billable header |
| Classification | H00-H59 — Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59) | H00-H59 — Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59) |
| Definition | Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (H35.0). | Retinal disorders in diseases classified elsewhere is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (H36). |
| Code first | — | underlying disease, such as: lipid storage disorders (E75.-) |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources