I88.9 vs R59
I88.9 (Nonspecific lymphadenitis, unspecified) compared with R59 (Enlarged lymph nodes), 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. I88.9 carries an Excludes1 note covering R59: “enlarged lymph nodes NOS (R59.-)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
No — do not report together. R59 carries an Excludes1 note covering I88.9: “lymphadenitis NOS (I88.9)”
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
| I88.9Nonspecific lymphadenitis, unspecified | R59Enlarged lymph nodes | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99) | R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) |
| Definition | Nonspecific lymphadenitis, unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (I88.9). | Enlarged lymph nodes is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (R59). |
| Includes | Lymphadenitis NOS | swollen glands |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources