# Icd 10 mutually exclusive question



## AndieL (Sep 23, 2015)

How in the world is CERVICAL RADICULOPATHY M54.12 mutually exclusive to INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DISORDER W/ RADICULOPATHY, LUMBAR REGION M51.16?
I'm getting this error in our billing system. I see the EXCLUDES 1 in the M54.1 category but doesn't that mean M54.12 would be ME with INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DISORDER W/ RADICULOPATHY, CERVICAL REGION??


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## genenut (Sep 23, 2015)

I think because the general category states you cant code anything in the m54.1 category with m51.16 that maybe the m54.12 dx is wrong in this case and should be coded possibly from a different category with more specific code as to the cause of the radiculopathy. 

The Cervical Radiculopathy could be from the same disc disorder as the Lumbar Radiculopathy (m51.16) so the more general code m54.12 diagnosis could be considered included in the m51.16 description causing the ME edit.

that's the way I read it but I'm a newbie CPC so I could be wrong .


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