K70-K77 — Diseases of liver
ICD-10-CM codes K70-K77 cover diseases of liver, within diseases of the digestive system. The block holds 82 codes across 8 categories, of which 63 are billable and 19 are header codes that cannot be submitted on a claim.
Excludes1 — never code together
These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.
- jaundice NOS (R17)
Excludes2 — not included here, but may coexist
The excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient can have both. You may code both.
Risk adjustment in K70-K77
0 codes in this block map to a CMS-HCC, which means the diagnosis carries a risk-adjustment payment when it is documented and coded. Under-coding here is money left on the table; over-coding here is what audits are for.
- HCC 65 Chronic Hepatitis
- HCC 63 Chronic Liver Failure/End-Stage Liver Disorders
- HCC 64 Cirrhosis of Liver
- HCC 68 Cholangitis and Obstruction of Bile Duct Without Gallstones
What else to watch in K70-K77
- 63 codes are named in Medicare coverage policies. An LCD or NCD lists them as supporting medical necessity, or explicitly as not supporting it. Which applies depends on the MAC for your state.