K72 vs R17
K72 (Hepatic failure, not elsewhere classified) compared with R17 (Unspecified jaundice), 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. K72 carries an Excludes1 note covering R17: “jaundice NOS (R17)”
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
| K72Hepatic failure, not elsewhere classified | R17Unspecified jaundice | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | K00-K95 — Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95) | R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) |
| Definition | Hepatic failure, not elsewhere classified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (K72). | Unspecified jaundice is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (R17). |
| Includes | fulminant hepatitis NEC, with hepatic failure liver (cell) necrosis with hepatic failure malignant hepatitis NEC, with hepatic failure yellow liver atrophy or dystrophy | — |
| Use additional code | code, if applicable, for ascites (R18.8) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources