I50

Header — not billable

Heart failure

The ICD-10 code for heart failure is I50.

I50 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

Code first

This code represents a manifestation of an underlying disease. Coding convention requires the underlying (etiology) code to be sequenced first, with this code listed second.

heart failure complicating abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.8)
heart failure due to hypertension (I11.0)
heart failure due to hypertension with chronic kidney disease (I13.-)
heart failure following surgery (I97.13-)
obstetric surgery and procedures (O75.4)
rheumatic heart failure (I09.81)

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.

cardiac arrest (I46.-)
neonatal cardiac failure (P29.0)

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.
•Laterality-specific codes exist for this condition — confirm the affected side is documented.
•This code represents a manifestation. Documentation should identify the underlying condition, which must be coded first.
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.

I50

Clinical notes

Code first

Excludes2 (not included here)

Documentation support

Child codes under I50

Related codes in this category