Skip to main content

L23.3 vs T88.52

L23.3 (Allergic contact dermatitis due to drugs in contact with skin) compared with T88.52 (Failed moderate sedation during procedure), 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 T88.52 lists L23.3 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named, billing status and chapter.L23.3 is “Allergic contact dermatitis due to drugs in contact with skin”; T88.52 is “Failed moderate sedation during procedure”. T88.52 is a non-billable header; L23.3 is billable. L23.3 sits in L00-L99 — Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (L00-L99); T88.52 in S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.T88.52 lists L23.3 under Excludes2: “dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. L23.3 carries 3 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.T88.52’s tabular entry: “dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)”. The note covers L23.3.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.T88.52 is a non-billable header, but L23.3 is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

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

T88.52
Failed moderate sedation during procedure
↔
L23.3
Allergic contact dermatitis due to drugs in contact with skin

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.T88.52 carries an Excludes2 note covering L23.3: “dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)”

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
L23.3

Allergic contact dermatitis due to drugs in contact with skin

T88.52

Failed moderate sedation during procedure

StatusDiffers
L23.3
Billable
T88.52
Non-billable header

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

Report instead: T88.52XA, T88.52XD, T88.52XS

Excludes1Differs
L23.3
  • allergy NOS (T78.40)
  • contact dermatitis NOS (L25.9)
  • dermatitis NOS (L30.9)
T88.52

None at this code

Excludes2Differs
L23.3
  • dermatitis due to ingested drugs and medicaments (L27.0-L27.1)
  • dermatitis due to substances taken internally (L27.-)
  • dermatitis of eyelid (H01.1-)
  • diaper dermatitis (L22)
  • eczema of external ear (H60.5-)
  • irritant contact dermatitis (L24.-)
  • perioral dermatitis (L71.0)
  • radiation-related disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L55-L59)
  • chronic (childhood) granulomatous disease (D71-)
  • dermatitis gangrenosa (L08.0)
  • dermatitis herpetiformis (L13.0)
  • dry skin dermatitis (L85.3)
  • factitial dermatitis (L98.1)
  • stasis dermatitis (I87.2)
T88.52
  • personal history of failed moderate sedation (Z92.83)
  • complication following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.-)
  • complication following procedure NEC (T81.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in labor and delivery (O74.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in pregnancy (O29.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in puerperium (O89.-)
  • complications of devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)
  • complications of obstetric surgery and procedure (O75.4)
  • dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)
  • poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)
  • specified complications classified elsewhere
  • any encounters with medical care for postprocedural conditions in which no complications are present, such as:
  • artificial opening status (Z93.-)
  • closure of external stoma (Z43.-)
  • fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device (Z44.-)
  • burns and corrosions from local applications and irradiation (T20-T32)
  • complications of surgical procedures during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • mechanical complication of respirator [ventilator] (J95.850)
  • poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4 or 6)
  • postprocedural fever (R50.82)
  • specified complications classified elsewhere, such as:
  • cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture (G97.0)
  • colostomy malfunction (K94.0-)
  • disorders of fluid and electrolyte imbalance (E86-E87)
  • functional disturbances following cardiac surgery (I97.0-I97.1)
  • intraoperative and postprocedural complications of specified body systems (D78.-, E36.-, E89.-, G97.3-, G97.4, H59.3-, H59.-, H95.2-, H95.3, I97.4-, I97.5, J95.6-, J95.7, K91.6-, L76.-, M96.-, N99.-)
  • ostomy complications (J95.0-, K94.-, N99.5-)
  • postgastric surgery syndromes (K91.1)
  • postlaminectomy syndrome NEC (M96.1)
  • postmastectomy lymphedema syndrome (I97.2)
  • postsurgical blind-loop syndrome (K91.2)
  • ventilator associated pneumonia (J95.851)
Use additional codeDiffers
L23.3
  • code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)
T88.52
  • code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T41.- with fifth or sixth character 5)
  • code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)
  • code(s) to identify the specified condition resulting from the complication
CategoryDiffers
L23.3

L23 Allergic contact dermatitis

T88.52

T88 Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified

ChapterDiffers
L23.3

L00-L99 — Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (L00-L99)

T88.52

S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)

IncludesDiffers
L23.3

None at this code

T88.52
  • Failed conscious sedation during procedure
7th characterDiffers
L23.3

None at this code

T88.52
  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T88

No Code first and Code also 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, notes every code shares are dimmed.

Edit this comparisonCheck a whole claim

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