R84.5 vs Z22
R84.5 (Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax) compared with Z22 (Carrier of infectious disease), 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. R84.5 carries an Excludes1 note covering Z22: “colonization status (Z22.-)”
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
| R84.5Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax | Z22Carrier of infectious disease | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) | Z00-Z99 — Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services (Z00-Z99) |
| Definition | Abnormal microbiological findings in specimens from respiratory organs and thorax is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (R84.5). | Carrier of infectious disease is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (Z22). |
| Includes | abnormal findings in bronchial washings abnormal findings in nasal secretions abnormal findings in pleural fluid abnormal findings in sputum | colonization status suspected carrier |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources