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K29.9 ICD-10-CM Code: Gastroduodenitis, unspecified

Compare with another code for K29.9Check this code on a claim

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

Coding at a Glance

Official instructions
2 Excludes1 · 1 Excludes2

What these terms mean →

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, and is marked with where it comes from.

Excludes1from K29Not reported with this code unless documented as unrelated
  • eosinophilic gastritis or gastroenteritis (K52.81)
  • Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (E16.4)
Excludes2from K20-K31Not included here; may be reported together
  • hiatus hernia (K44.-)

Where it sits Source: CMS/NCHS

Under:Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive SystemK20-K31 Diseases of esophagus, stomach and duodenumK29 Gastritis and duodenitis

Codes under K29.9 (2)

  • K29.90Gastroduodenitis, unspecified, without bleedingBillable
  • K29.91Gastroduodenitis, unspecified, with bleedingBillable

Most relevant related codes MedCoder-derived

Read off the official notes above and this code’s own position in the tabular list. Which to report is a documentation question; Compare shows the two side by side.

CompareCheck ClaimView Related Codes

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for K29.9 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 K29.9 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).

Source: inherited from K29

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

Source: inherited from K20-K31

Coder workflow for K29.9

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

Before you code K29.9

  1. K29.9 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).

    ReviewK29.90, K29.91

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

  2. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with the code beneath K29.9. 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 K29.9?
    Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
    No → K29.9 cannot be reported as written. Where the codes beneath it include an unspecified code, that code applies when the record goes no further; otherwise query for the missing detail.

    ReviewK29.90, K29.91

  2. Does the documentation support a condition named in K29.9’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.

    ReviewK52.81, E16.4

Report the code beneath K29.9 that the documentation supports, not K29.9 itself. Then confirm that code is valid for the date of service on its own page.

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).
Acuity
Acute or chronic as documented; when both are documented and separate codes exist, both are reported with the acute code first (Guidelines I.B.8).
Any detail beyond this code’s title
What the record states that a more specific code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting K29.9(2 notes)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with K29.9: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareK52.81, E16.4

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

  • Excludes2 — not part of K29.9(1 note)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in K29.9. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareK44

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

Coding decision scenarios

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

Documentation: The provider documents the condition in the terms of this code’s title and records no further detail.

Coding question: Is a more specific sibling code supportable?

Path: Review the specific siblings in this subcategory and what each requires the record to state.

Reason: A more specific code needs documentation of the distinguishing element; without it the unspecified code is appropriate, and a provider query is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

ReviewK29.0, K29.2, K29.3, K29.4, K29.6, K29.8

Documentation: Both the condition K29.9 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).

ReviewK52.81, E16.4

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 K29.9 with…

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

The codes most likely to be picked instead of K29.9 — 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.

  • K52.81— 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 eosinophilic gastritis or gastroenteritis moves the case to K52.81; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: K29.9 vs K52.81 →

  • E16.4— 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 Zollinger-Ellison syndrome moves the case to E16.4; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: K29.9 vs E16.4 →

  • K44— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of hiatus hernia adds K44; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K29.9 vs K44 →

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

Gastroduodenitis, unspecified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (K29.9). 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

  • Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: K29.90, K29.91.

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 K29.9 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: K92.2 — Gastrointestinal hemorrhage, unspecified (via K29.-).

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 21 Code First instructions: T36 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of systemic antibiotics (via K29.-), T36-T39 — Antibiotics & Anti-infectives (T36-T39) (via K29.-), T36-T50 — Poisoning by, adverse effects of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances (T36-T50) (via K29.-), T37 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other systemic anti-infectives and antiparasitics (via K29.-), T38 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of hormones and their synthetic substitutes and antagonists, not elsewhere classified (via K29.-), T39 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics (via K29.-), T40 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] (via K29.-), T40-T41 — Analgesics & Antipyretics (T40-T41) (via K29.-), T41 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of anesthetics and therapeutic gases (via K29.-), T42 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of antiepileptic, sedative- hypnotic and antiparkinsonism drugs (via K29.-), T42-T43 — Anticonvulsants & Psychotropics (T42-T43) (via K29.-), T43 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified (via K29.-), T44 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of drugs primarily affecting the autonomic nervous system (via K29.-), T44-T46 — Cardiovascular & Gastrointestinal (T44-T46) (via K29.-), T45 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of primarily systemic and hematological agents, not elsewhere classified (via K29.-), T46 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of agents primarily affecting the cardiovascular system (via K29.-), T47 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of agents primarily affecting the gastrointestinal system (via K29.-), T47-T50 — Hormones & Systemic Agents (T47-T50) (via K29.-), T48 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of agents primarily acting on smooth and skeletal muscles and the respiratory system (via K29.-), T49 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of topical agents primarily affecting skin and mucous membrane and by ophthalmological, otorhinorlaryngological and dental drugs (via K29.-), +1 more.

Each of these codes carries a Code First note naming this condition — when that code is reported, THIS code is sequenced first, ahead of it.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of K29.9 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 K29.9 with these 9 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

Referenced by Code First instructions (21)

Nearest codes (27)

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.

Common coding questions

MedCoder editorial

Can K29.9 be billed directly?

No. K29.9 (Gastroduodenitis, unspecified) 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 28, 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. "K29.9 — Gastroduodenitis, unspecified." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/k29.9-gastroduodenitis-unspecified

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Gastroduodenitis, unspecified

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 K29.9 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the K29 family