G04
Header — not billableEncephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis
The ICD-10 code for encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis is G04.
G04 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 6 more specific codes below.
Clinical notes
Excludes1 (not coded here)
An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).
- encephalopathy NOS (G93.40)
Excludes2 (not included here)
An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of this one, but a patient can have both at the same time — in that case both codes may be reported together.
Includes
Terms listed here further define or give examples of the conditions grouped under this code — they describe what the code covers, not a separate diagnosis.
- acute ascending myelitis
- meningoencephalitis
- meningomyelitis
Documentation support
General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.
- •This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
- •Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
- •As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.
Child codes under G04
- G04.0Acute disseminated encephalitis and encephalomyelitis (ADEM)non-billable header
- G04.1Tropical spastic paraplegia
- G04.2Bacterial meningoencephalitis and meningomyelitis, not elsewhere classified
- G04.3Acute necrotizing hemorrhagic encephalopathynon-billable header
- G04.8Other encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitisnon-billable header
- G04.9Encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis, unspecifiednon-billable header
Related codes in this category
- G00Bacterial meningitis, not elsewhere classifiednon-billable header
- G01Meningitis in bacterial diseases classified elsewhere
- G02Meningitis in other infectious and parasitic diseases classified elsewhere
- G03Meningitis due to other and unspecified causesnon-billable header
- G05Encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitis in diseases classified elsewherenon-billable header
- G06Intracranial and intraspinal abscess and granulomanon-billable header
- G07Intracranial and intraspinal abscess and granuloma in diseases classified elsewhere
- G08Intracranial and intraspinal phlebitis and thrombophlebitis
- G09Sequelae of inflammatory diseases of central nervous system
- G04Encephalitis, myelitis and encephalomyelitisnon-billable header