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N23 vs N25

N23 (Unspecified renal colic) compared with N25 (Disorders resulting from impaired renal tubular function), 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 20, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because N25 lists N23 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and billing status.N23 is “Unspecified renal colic”; N25 is “Disorders resulting from impaired renal tubular function”. N25 is a non-billable header; N23 is billable.

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.N25 lists N23 under Excludes2: “disorders of kidney and ureter with urolithiasis (N20-N23)”. 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.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.N25’s tabular entry: “disorders of kidney and ureter with urolithiasis (N20-N23)”. The note covers N23.

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.N25 is a non-billable header, but N23 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

N25
Disorders resulting from impaired renal tubular function
↔
N23
Unspecified renal colic

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.N25 carries an Excludes2 note covering N23: “disorders of kidney and ureter with urolithiasis (N20-N23)”

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

N23Unspecified renal colicN25Disorders resulting from impaired renal tubular function
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: N25.0, N25.1, N25.81, N25.89, N25.9

ClassificationN00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99)N00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99)
DefinitionUnspecified renal colic is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (N23).Disorders resulting from impaired renal tubular function is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (N25).
Excludes2—
disorders of kidney and ureter with urolithiasis (N20-N23)

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.

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