MCMCB Pro
Z16

Z16Resistance to antimicrobial drugs

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

Z16 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for resistance to antimicrobial drugs. It cannot be billed on its own: choose one of the more specific child codes below.

Excludes1 — never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

  • Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (A49.02)
  • Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia (J15.212)
  • Sepsis due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (A41.02)

Code first

The underlying condition must be sequenced before this code.

  • the infection

Notes

Additional guidance from the ICD-10-CM tabular list.

  • The codes in this category are provided for use as additional codes to identify the resistance and non-responsiveness of a condition to antimicrobial drugs.

Other codes that can never be billed with Z16

These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at Z16. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading Z16 alone.

  • Z16.3Resistance to other antimicrobial drugs
  • Z16.35Resistance to multiple antimicrobial drugs

Risk adjustment

Z16 does not map to an HCC and does not risk-adjust under CMS-HCC V28. That is normal — most ICD-10 codes do not. It still needs to be coded correctly; it just will not move a RAF score.

Code to one of these instead Z16

3 child codes. Green means billable.

Questions about Z16

Is Z16 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
No. Z16 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
Where does Z16 sit in the tabular list?
Factors influencing health status and contact with health services (Z00-Z99), in the block Resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16).
What cannot be coded together with Z16?
Z16 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.
ICD-10-CMFY2026-Apr· effective April 1, 2026

Loaded directly from the CMS/NCHS ICD-10-CM public-domain release — see data sources and our editorial policy. If this page disagrees with the CMS tabular list, this page is wrong. Reference information for professional coders; not medical or billing advice.