Start New EnglishEspañol中文РусскийالعربيةTiếng ViệtFrançaisDeutsch한국어Tagalog Library Performance
BETA v.3.0

2025 ICD-10-CM code B96.81

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere.

B96.81 should never be used as the principal diagnosis. It's a supplementary code used to identify the H. pylori infection when it's a causative or contributing factor to a disease classified elsewhere. Always code the primary disease first, followed by B96.81.

Medical necessity for B96.81 is established when the H. pylori infection is documented as the cause or a contributing factor to the other diagnosed condition. The infection must be confirmed through appropriate diagnostic testing, and the link between the infection and the other condition must be clinically documented.

The bacterium H. pylori causes stomach infections, usually during childhood. It is the most common cause of peptic ulcer, causing severe stomach pain. Symptoms, diagnostic studies and procedures, and treatment depend on the disease. Bacteria are generally treated with antibiotics.

In simple words: This code identifies H. pylori bacteria as the cause of an illness found in another part of the body. H. pylori is a common bacteria that can cause infections and ulcers in the stomach. Your doctor will use this code along with another code that describes the specific illness caused by H. pylori.

This code identifies H. pylori bacteria as the cause of a disease classified elsewhere. Use this code in conjunction with other code(s) identifying the disease(s) or condition(s). This code should not be used as the first-listed or principal diagnosis but should follow the disease or condition code(s).

Example 1: A patient presents with duodenal ulcer (K26.0). During an endoscopy, H. pylori is identified. Both K26.0 and B96.81 are coded with K26.0 listed first., A patient with chronic gastritis (K29.5) is tested positive for H. pylori. Both K29.5 and B96.81 should be reported, with K29.5 sequenced first., A patient presents with gastric MALT lymphoma (C88.82). A biopsy reveals H. pylori infection. The codes C88.82 and B96.81 are reported, with C88.82 as the principal diagnosis.

Documentation of H. pylori infection confirmed through diagnostic testing (e.g., biopsy, urea breath test, stool antigen test) is crucial. Documentation should also clearly link the H. pylori infection causally to the other diagnosed condition.

** Only Enterprise users with EHR integration can access case-specific answers. Click here to request access.

Discover what matters.

iFrame™ AI's knowledge is aligned with and limited to the materials uploaded by users and should not be interpreted as medical, legal, or any other form of advice by iFrame™.