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P54.1 vs R19.5

P54.1 (Neonatal melena) compared with R19.5 (Other fecal abnormalities), 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. R19.5 carries an Excludes1 note covering P54.1: “neonatal melena (P54.1)”

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

P54.1Neonatal melenaR19.5Other fecal abnormalities
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationP00-P96 — Certain Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period (P00-P96)R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99)
DefinitionNeonatal melena is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (P54.1).Other fecal abnormalities is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (R19.5).
Includes
Abnormal stool color
Bulky stools
Mucus in stools
Occult blood in feces

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources