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D31.2 ICD-10-CM Code: Benign neoplasm of retina

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Billing Status: NO. This is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code: report a more specific billable code beneath it.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
7 Excludes1

Not billable · FY2027A non-billable heading in the tabular list: report a more specific code beneath it.

What you need to know

Source: CMS/NCHS Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes, quoted. From the CMS/NCHS tabular list for the release in force. A note the category or block publishes applies to this code too; the Instructions section marks which is which.

Excludes1Never report with this code
  • dark area on retina (D49.81)
  • hemangioma of retina (D49.81)
  • neoplasm of unspecified behavior of retina and choroid (D49.81)
  • retinal freckle (D49.81)

+3 more in Instructions

CompareCheck ClaimView Related Codes

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for D31.2 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2027Effective: October 1, 2026

Trace:FY2027 changesChange historyRelease, file and checksum

Notes without a marker are published on D31.2 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Excludes1 — Not Coded Here

Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Coder workflow for D31.2

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code D31.2

  1. D31.2 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

    ReviewD31.20, D31.21, D31.22

    See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

  2. Confirm the documented site and behavior (this code’s block classifies benign neoplasms), whether the site is primary or secondary, and whether the malignancy is current or a personal history: a previously excised malignancy with no further treatment and no evidence of disease is history, not current disease. Verify the site against the Table of Neoplasms. Neoplasm chapter guidelines (Guidelines I.C.2.a, I.C.2.d, I.C.2.m).

    See the Table of Neoplasms entries · Guide: Active cancer vs history of cancer →

  3. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with D31.2. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

    See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

  1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath D31.2?
    Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
    No → D31.2 cannot be reported as written; query for the specificity its subcategory needs.

    ReviewD31.20, D31.21, D31.22

  2. Does the documentation support a condition named in D31.2’s Excludes1 note?
    Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
    No → Continue.

    ReviewD49.81, D21.0, D33.3, D22.1, D23.1

Consider D31.2. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
Anatomical site
At the most specific level the record states; a site the classification separates cannot be assumed from a procedure or a measurement.
Behavior and current-versus-history status
Malignant, in situ, benign or uncertain; primary or secondary; current disease or personal history (Guidelines I.C.2.m).

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting D31.2(7 notes)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with D31.2: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareD49.81, D21.0, D33.3, D22.1, D23.1

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: Both the condition D31.2 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.

Coding question: Can both codes be reported?

Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.

Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

ReviewD49.81, D21.0, D33.3, D22.1, D23.1

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse D31.2 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of D31.2 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

  • D49.81— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of dark area on retina moves the case to D49.81; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D49.81 →

  • D21.0— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of benign neoplasm of connective tissue of eyelid moves the case to D21.0; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D21.0 →

  • D33.3— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of benign neoplasm of optic nerve moves the case to D33.3; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D33.3 →

  • D22.1— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of benign neoplasm of skin of eyelid moves the case to D22.1; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D22.1 →

  • D23.1— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of benign neoplasm of skin of eyelid moves the case to D23.1; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D23.1 →

  • D31.6— Specificity relationship (Review)

    Overlapping diagnoses in the same category.

    Overlapping codes in the same category — the documentation decides which is the more specific fit.

    What moves you there: A record that documents no more than “Benign neoplasm of unspecified site of orbit” takes D31.6; specificity in the record moves it back here.

    Full comparison: D31.2 vs D31.6 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Coding context

Guidelines, coding notes, decision aids, relationships (with MS-DRG and CCSR classification), hierarchy, HCC, coverage and the context map: what a coder reaches for after the core. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Code Overview

Benign neoplasm of retina is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (D31.2). A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission.

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Verify Before Coding

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder-derived relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name D31.2 or its code family, from the CMS Table of Neoplasms.

Referenced by 5 Same-site neoplasm codes: C69.2 — Malignant neoplasm of retinaCompare D31.2 vs C69.2 →, C79.49 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of other parts of nervous systemCompare D31.2 vs C79.49 →, D09.2 — Carcinoma in situ of eyeCompare D31.2 vs D09.2 →, D48.7 — Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of other specified sitesCompare D31.2 vs D48.7 →, D49.81 — Neoplasm of unspecified behavior of retina and choroidCompare D31.2 vs D49.81 →.

These codes represent related neoplasm behaviors affecting the same anatomic site.

Related Codes

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Nevus”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

D18.1 — Lymphangioma, any site (lymphatic), D22.0 — Melanocytic nevi of lip (skin, lip), D22.1 — Melanocytic nevi of eyelid, including canthus (skin, eyelid), D22.2 — Melanocytic nevi of ear and external auricular canal (skin, ear), D22.30 — Melanocytic nevi of unspecified part of face (skin, face), D22.39 — Melanocytic nevi of other parts of face (skin, jaw), D22.4 — Melanocytic nevi of scalp and neck (skin, neck), D22.5 — Melanocytic nevi of trunk (skin, back), D22.6 — Melanocytic nevi of upper limb, including shoulder (skin, arm), D22.7 — Melanocytic nevi of lower limb, including hip (skin, toe), D22.9 — Melanocytic nevi, unspecified, D28.0 — Benign neoplasm of vulva (skin, vulva), D29.0 — Benign neoplasm of penis (skin, penis), D29.4 — Benign neoplasm of scrotum (skin, scrotum), D29.9 — Benign neoplasm of male genital organ, unspecified (skin, male genital organ), D48.5 — Neoplasm of uncertain behavior of skin (bathing trunk), I78.1 — Nevus, non-neoplastic (spider), Q38.6 — Other congenital malformations of mouth (mouth, white sponge), Q82.5 — Congenital non-neoplastic nevus (Unna's), Q85.1 — Tuberous sclerosis (multiplex), +7 more

Contextual Map

Every relationship of D31.2 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run D31.2 with this related code in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Excludes1

Same site

Referenced by Same-site neoplasm codes

Neoplasm sites

  • Neoplasm, neoplastic, retina — Neoplasm, neoplastic, retina — Benign [Neoplasm table]: “Neoplasm, neoplastic, retina (Benign)”— CMS Table of Neoplasms · icd10cm-fy2027

Nearest codes (32)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Reference

Index terms and tables, published questions and FAQ, every source behind this page with its release and checksum, the date-of-service check and the complete change history.

Neoplasm Table Sites (1)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Anatomical sites from the official ICD-10-CM Table of Neoplasms that map to this code, with the matching behavior column.

  • Neoplasm, neoplastic, retina — Benign

Common coding questions

MedCoder editorial

Can D31.2 be billed directly?

No. D31.2 (Benign neoplasm of retina) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2027 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2026 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v44.0 (October 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder-derived relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder editorial explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

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

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder-derived relationship · MedCoder editorial explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates · CMS coding rules

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "D31.2 — Benign neoplasm of retina." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/d31.2-benign-neoplasm-of-retina

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Benign neoplasm of retina

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027, and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to D31.2 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the D31 family