G96.0 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak
G96.0 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for cerebrospinal fluid leak. 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.
- cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture (G97.0)
Code also
Both codes may be needed to describe the encounter fully. Sequencing depends on the reason for the visit.
- if applicable:
- intracranial hypotension (G96.81-)
Other codes that can never be billed with G96.0
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at G96.0. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading G96.0 alone.
- H92.1Otorrhea
Risk adjustment
G96.0 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 G96.0
5 child codes. Green means billable.
Related codes at this level
Codes that share G96. If G96.0 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.
Questions about G96.0
- Is G96.0 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. G96.0 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does G96.0 sit in the tabular list?
- Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99), in the block Other disorders of the nervous system (G89-G99).
- What cannot be coded together with G96.0?
- G96.0 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.