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K71.9 ICD-10-CM Code: Toxic liver disease, unspecified

Compare with another codeCheck this code on a claim

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
2 inclusion terms · 1 Excludes1 · 6 Excludes2 · 1 use-additional code · 1 code-first instruction

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 441 — DISORDERS OF LIVER EXCEPT MALIGNANCY, CIRRHOSIS OR ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS WITH MCC (MDC 07)
  • MS-DRG 442 — DISORDERS OF LIVER EXCEPT MALIGNANCY, CIRRHOSIS OR ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS WITH CC (MDC 07)
  • MS-DRG 443 — DISORDERS OF LIVER EXCEPT MALIGNANCY, CIRRHOSIS OR ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 07)
  • MS-DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
  • MS-DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for K71.9 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 K71.9 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Includes

Conditions the official ICD-10-CM tabular list includes under this code.

  • drug-induced idiosyncratic (unpredictable) liver disease
  • drug-induced toxic (predictable) liver disease

Source: inherited from K71

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 K70-K77

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

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

Code First

Underlying conditions that must be sequenced before this code.

  • poisoning due to drug or toxin, if applicable (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)

Source: inherited from K71

Use Additional Code

Supplementary codes the tabular list directs you to add.

  • Use additional code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)

Source: inherited from K71

Coder workflow for K71.9

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

Before you code K71.9

  1. Unspecified does not mean incorrect. When the record gives no greater specificity, K71.9 may be the appropriate code. Check the record for detail that supports a more specific sibling — in this subcategory the siblings differ by acute versus chronic, the presence or absence of the associated condition. An unspecified code is for records that do not provide the detail a more specific code needs; a query, not an assumption, is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

    ReviewK71.0, K71.1, K71.2, K71.3, K71.4, K71.5, K71.6, K71.7

    See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

  2. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with K71.9. 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 record document the detail a more specific sibling code needs?
    Yes → Review the specific siblings in this subcategory.
    No → Continue — K71.9 is appropriate when the documentation goes no further.

    ReviewK71.0, K71.1, K71.2, K71.3, K71.4, K71.5, K71.6, K71.7

  2. Does the documentation support a condition named in K71.9’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.

    ReviewR17

  3. Is the underlying (etiologic) condition the Code First note names documented?
    Yes → Sequence the underlying condition first, then K71.9.
    No → Continue; do not add an underlying condition the record does not document.

Consider K71.9. Then work the Use Additional Code note, and 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).
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).
The associated condition or complication
Whether the associated condition the title names is documented; the “with” convention presumes some links, and a provider statement that the conditions are unrelated defeats it (Guidelines I.A.15).
The underlying (etiologic) condition
Named in the Code First note; sequenced before this code when documented (Guidelines I.A.13).
The conditions the Use Additional Code note names
Reported with this code when documented; a conditional instruction (“if applicable”, “if known”) applies only when the record supports it.
Any detail beyond this code’s title
What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting K71.9(1 note)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with K71.9: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareR17

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

  • Excludes2 — not part of K71.9(6 notes)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in K71.9. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareK70, I82.0, E83.11, G93.7, E83.01

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

  • Code First — sequencing check(1 note)

    Coding workflow: Check whether the underlying or etiologic condition the note names is documented. When it is, sequence it before K71.9. Do not add an underlying condition the record does not document.

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

  • Use Additional Code — after identifying K71.9(1 note)

    Coding workflow: Check whether the documentation supports the additional code(s) the note names, and report them with K71.9 when it does. Where the instruction is conditional (“if applicable”, “if known”), it applies only when the record documents the condition.

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

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).

ReviewK71.0, K71.1, K71.2, K71.3, K71.4, K71.5, K71.6, K71.7

Documentation: Both the condition K71.9 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).

ReviewR17

Documentation: The underlying condition the Code First note names is documented alongside this condition.

Coding question: How are the two sequenced?

Path: Review the Code First note.

Reason: The underlying condition is sequenced first and the manifestation follows (Guidelines I.A.13).

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.

Coding context

The comparisons, hierarchy, index entries, guidelines, relationships, risk-adjustment and coverage context a coder commonly needs. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Don’t confuse K71.9 with…

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

The codes most likely to be picked instead of K71.9 — 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.

  • R17— 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 jaundice NOS moves the case to R17; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs R17 →

  • K70— 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 alcoholic liver disease adds K70; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs K70 →

  • I82.0— 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 Budd-Chiari syndrome adds I82.0; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs I82.0 →

  • E83.11— 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 hemochromatosis adds E83.11; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs E83.11 →

  • G93.7— 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 Reye's syndrome adds G93.7; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs G93.7 →

  • B15— 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 viral hepatitis adds B15; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: K71.9 vs B15 →

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.

Code Overview

Toxic liver disease, unspecified is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (K71.9).

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

Indexed Clinical Terms (3)

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

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Official Coding Guidelines

No excerpt in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines names this code specifically. Its chapter carries only this chapter-wide note:

Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95)

Reserved for future guideline expansion

Decision Points

The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.

  1. Sequencing: 1 Code First instruction — the underlying condition is sequenced before this code when present. See the Code First notes
  2. 1 Use Additional Code instruction — report the named additional code(s) when the documentation supports them. See the Use Additional Code notes
  3. 1 Excludes1 entry — codes named there are generally not reported together with this code (Guidelines I.A.12.a). See the Excludes1 notes
  4. 6 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes

Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.

Verify Before Coding

  • No Medicare Code Editor or MS-DRG Definitions Manual restrictions apply to this code.

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 K71.9 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: K73 — Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified (via K71.-).

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

Referenced by 2 Excludes2 notes: K75 — Other inflammatory liver diseases (via K71.-), K76 — Other diseases of liver (via K71.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2027)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2027 MS-DRG: not on the CMS CC/MCC list — as a secondary diagnosis this code does not change MS-DRG severity for that release.

Named in the grouper logic of 5 MS-DRGs: DRG 441 (MDC 07), DRG 442 (MDC 07), DRG 443 (MDC 07), DRG 791 (MDC 15), DRG 793 (MDC 15).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):DIG019 — Other specified and unspecified liver disease (default); INJ030 — Drug induced or toxic related condition.

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical categories (Other specified and unspecified liver disease, Drug induced or toxic related condition).

K71.10 — Toxic liver disease with hepatic necrosis, without coma, K71.11 — Toxic liver disease with hepatic necrosis, with coma, K71.2 — Toxic liver disease with acute hepatitis, K71.3 — Toxic liver disease with chronic persistent hepatitis, K71.4 — Toxic liver disease with chronic lobular hepatitis, K71.50 — Toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis without ascites, K71.51 — Toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis with ascites, K71.6 — Toxic liver disease with hepatitis, not elsewhere classified, K71.7 — Toxic liver disease with fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver, K71.8 — Toxic liver disease with other disorders of liver, K74.0 — Hepatic fibrosis, K74.00 — Hepatic fibrosis, unspecified, K74.01 — Hepatic fibrosis, early fibrosis, K74.02 — Hepatic fibrosis, advanced fibrosis, K74.1 — Hepatic sclerosis, K74.2 — Hepatic fibrosis with hepatic sclerosis, K74.3 — Primary biliary cirrhosis, K74.4 — Secondary biliary cirrhosis, K74.5 — Biliary cirrhosis, unspecified, K74.60 — Unspecified cirrhosis of liver, +275 more

Same Index main term, other category

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

I89.8 — Other specified noninfective disorders of lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes (lymph gland), J32.0 — Chronic maxillary sinusitis (nasal sinus, maxillary), J32.1 — Chronic frontal sinusitis (nasal sinus, frontal), J32.9 — Chronic sinusitis, unspecified (nasal sinus), J33.1 — Polypoid sinus degeneration (sinus, polypoid), J34.89 — Other specified disorders of nose and nasal sinuses (turbinate), J98.4 — Other disorders of lung (lung), K04.2 — Pulp degeneration (pulp), K31.89 — Other diseases of stomach and duodenum (stomach), K70.0 — Alcoholic fatty liver (fatty, liver NEC, alcoholic), K72.00 — Acute and subacute hepatic failure without coma (liver NEC, parenchymatous, acute or subacute), K72.01 — Acute and subacute hepatic failure with coma (liver NEC, parenchymatous, acute or subacute, with coma), K76.0 — Fatty (change of) liver, not elsewhere classified (fatty, liver NEC), K76.7 — Hepatorenal syndrome (hepatorenal), K76.89 — Other specified diseases of liver (liver NEC), K86.89 — Other specified diseases of pancreas (pancreas), L98.8 — Other specified disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (skin), M51.04 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracic region (intervertebral disc, thoracic region, with, myelopathy), M51.05 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracolumbar region (intervertebral disc, thoracolumbar region, with, myelopathy), M51.06 — Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, lumbar region (intervertebral disc, lumbar region, with, myelopathy), +119 more

Lab tests where this diagnosis supports Medicare coverage (NCD)

Medicare's National Coverage Determination (NCD) program lists this diagnosis as medical justification for these lab tests.

Gamma-glutamyl Transferase (GGT) Test, Hepatitis Testing, Iron Panel, Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) Test, Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of K71.9 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 K71.9 with these 3 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 07 — Diseases and Disorders of the Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Hepatobiliary System and Pancreas — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 2,488 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027
  • MDC 15 — Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period[MDC crossing]: “Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027

Index entries

  • Degeneration, degenerative, liver NEC (diffuse), toxic (acute)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Disease, diseased, hepatobiliary, toxic[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Disease, diseased, liver (chronic) (organic), toxic[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027

Nearest codes (14)

Change history

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

Deep reference

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

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
Coding guidelines Official source data
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY2027), quoted by section 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
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v44 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. "K71.9 — Toxic liver disease, unspecified." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/k71.9-toxic-liver-disease-unspecified

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Toxic liver disease, 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 K71.9 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the K71 family