Z16
Header — not billableResistance to antimicrobial drugs
The ICD-10 code for resistance to antimicrobial drugs is Z16.
Z16 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 3 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.
- the infection
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).
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.
- •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.