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H35.0 vs I72.0

H35.0 (Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes) compared with I72.0 (Aneurysm of carotid artery), 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 can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because I72.0 lists H35.0 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named, billing status and chapter.H35.0 is “Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes”; I72.0 is “Aneurysm of carotid artery”. H35.0 is a non-billable header; I72.0 is billable. H35.0 sits in H00-H59 — Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59); I72.0 in I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.I72.0 lists H35.0 under Excludes2: “retinal aneurysm (H35.0)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.I72.0’s tabular entry: “retinal aneurysm (H35.0)”. The note covers H35.0.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.H35.0 is a non-billable header, but I72.0 is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Nothing found in 3 other checks; 1 check does not apply
Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. I72.0 carries 2 Excludes1 notes 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.

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

I72.0
Aneurysm of carotid artery
↔
H35.0
Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.I72.0 carries an Excludes2 note covering H35.0: “retinal aneurysm (H35.0)”

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 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
H35.0

Background retinopathy and retinal vascular changes

I72.0

Aneurysm of carotid artery

StatusDiffers
H35.0
Non-billable header

A header is not reported on a claim; a code beneath it is.

Report instead: H35.00, H35.011, H35.012, H35.013, H35.019

I72.0
Billable
Excludes1Differs
H35.0

None at this code

I72.0
  • aneurysm of internal carotid artery, intracranial portion (I67.1)
  • aneurysm of internal carotid artery NOS (I67.1)
Excludes2Differs
H35.0
  • diabetic retinal disorders (E08.311-E08.359, E09.311-E09.359, E10.311-E10.359, E11.311-E11.359, E13.311-E13.359)
I72.0
  • acquired aneurysm (I77.0)
  • aneurysm (of) aorta (I71.-)
  • aneurysm (of) arteriovenous NOS (Q27.3-)
  • carotid artery dissection (I77.71)
  • cerebral (nonruptured) aneurysm (I67.1)
  • coronary aneurysm (I25.4)
  • coronary artery dissection (I25.42)
  • dissection of artery NEC (I77.79)
  • dissection of precerebral artery, congenital (nonruptured) (Q28.1)
  • heart aneurysm (I25.3)
  • iliac artery dissection (I77.72)
  • precerebral artery, congential (nonruptured) (Q28.1)
  • pulmonary artery aneurysm (I28.1)
  • renal artery dissection (I77.73)
  • retinal aneurysm (H35.0)
  • ruptured cerebral aneurysm (I60.7)
  • varicose aneurysm (I77.0)
  • vertebral artery dissection (I77.74)
Code alsoDiffers
H35.0
  • any associated hypertension (I10)
I72.0

None at this code

CategoryDiffers
H35.0

H35 Other retinal disorders

I72.0

I72 Other aneurysm

ChapterDiffers
H35.0

H00-H59 — Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa (H00-H59)

I72.0

I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99)

IncludesDiffers
H35.0

None at this code

I72.0
  • aneurysm (cirsoid) (false) (ruptured)
  • Aneurysm of common carotid artery
  • Aneurysm of external carotid artery
  • Aneurysm of internal carotid artery, extracranial portion

No Code first, Use additional code 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.

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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