Q05.5 vs Q18
Q05.5 (Cervical spina bifida without hydrocephalus) compared with Q18 (Other congenital malformations of face and neck), from the official CMS tabular data. Both may be reported when both conditions are documented (Excludes2).
Can these codes be reported together?
Yes, when both are documented. Q18 carries an Excludes2 note covering Q05.5: “congenital malformation of cervical spine (Q05.0, Q05.5, Q67.5, Q76.0-Q76.4)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| Q05.5Cervical spina bifida without hydrocephalus | Q18Other congenital malformations of face and neck | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | Q00-Q99 — Congenital Malformations, Deformations and Chromosomal Abnormalities (Q00-Q99) | Q00-Q99 — Congenital Malformations, Deformations and Chromosomal Abnormalities (Q00-Q99) |
| Definition | Cervical spina bifida without hydrocephalus is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (Q05.5). | Other congenital malformations of face and neck is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (Q18). |
| Includes | hydromeningocele (spinal) meningocele (spinal) meningomyelocele myelocele | — |
| Use additional code | code for any associated paraplegia (paraparesis) (G82.2-) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources