2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A17.0Tuberculous meningitis

ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A15-A19›A17

ICD-10-CM A17.0
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

A17.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for tuberculous meningitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 23 through 24, 94 through 96, 974 through 976. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a major complication or comorbidity (MCC) and places an inpatient stay in the highest severity level of its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 56 closely related codes. Coders also document this condition as arachnoiditis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Meningitis and Tuberculosis.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
A17.0
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Tuberculous meningitis
Short Description
Tuberculous meningitis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
A17
Tuberculosis of nervous system

Code Classification

ChapterA00–B99Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
SectionA15-A19Tuberculosis
CategoryA17Tuberculosis of nervous system
This CodeA17.0Tuberculous meningitis

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Arachnoiditis
  • Bacterial meningomyelitis
  • Leptomeningitis
  • Meningomyelitis
  • Tuberculosis of cerebral meninges
  • Tuberculosis of meninges
  • Tuberculosis of spinal cord
  • Tuberculosis of spinal meninges
  • Tuberculous arachnoiditis
  • Tuberculous leptomeningitis

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to A17.0: its own notes plus those printed at block A15-A19 and Chapter 1. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

From Block A15-A19 Tuberculosis applies to 51 codes
  • infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis
From Chapter 1 (A00-B99) Certain infectious and parasitic diseases applies to 1,068 codes
  • diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Tuberculosis of meninges (cerebral)(spinal)
  • Tuberculous leptomeningitis

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On A17.0 itself
  • tuberculous meningoencephalitis (A17.82)
From Block A15-A19 Tuberculosis applies to 51 codes
  • congenital tuberculosis (P37.0)
  • nonspecific reaction to test for tuberculosis without active tuberculosis (R76.1-)
  • pneumoconiosis associated with tuberculosis, any type in A15 (J65)
  • positive PPD (R76.11)
  • positive tuberculin skin test without active tuberculosis (R76.11)
  • sequelae of tuberculosis (B90.-)
  • silicotuberculosis (J65)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 1 (A00-B99) Certain infectious and parasitic diseases applies to 1,068 codes
  • carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
  • certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
  • infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
  • infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
  • influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From Block A15-A19 Tuberculosis applies to 51 codes
  • code, if applicable, for associated cachexia (E88.A)
From Chapter 1 (A00-B99) Certain infectious and parasitic diseases applies to 1,068 codes
  • code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name A17.0, its category, or a range that includes it.

Applicable To 1

These notes mention A17.0.

  • O98.0 Tuberculosis complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
    Conditions in A15-A19 names A15-A19, which includes this code

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming A17.0: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • G01 Meningitis in bacterial diseases classified elsewhere
    tuberculosis (A17.0)

Excludes2 1

These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming A17.0: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.

  • A31 Infection due to other mycobacteria
    tuberculosis (A15-A19) names A15-A19, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR NVS001
Meningitis
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR INF001
Tuberculosis
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal

    a form of bacterial meningitis caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis or rarely mycobacterium bovis. the organism seeds the meninges and forms microtuberculomas which subsequently rupture. the clinical course tends to be subacute, with progressions occurring over a period of several days or longer. headache and meningeal irritation may be followed by seizures, cranial neuropathies, focal neurologic deficits, somnolence, and eventually coma. the illness may occur in immunocompetent individuals or as an opportunistic infection in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and other immunodeficiency syndromes. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, pp717-9)

Patient EducationClinical

Meningitis

Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Bacterial meningitis is rare but can be deadly.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert A17.0 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
013.00 TB meningitis-unspec
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About A17.0Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for tuberculous meningitis?

The ICD-10-CM code for tuberculous meningitis is A17.0 (sometimes written as A170). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is A17.0 (Tuberculosis of nervous system) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report tuberculous meningitis on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does A17.0 group to?

When tuberculous meningitis is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 24, 974, 976, 975, 23, 96, 95, 94, with relative weights from 0.7879 to 5.7422 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is A17.0 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists A17.0 as an MCC (major complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it places the inpatient stay in the highest-weighted DRG of its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 56 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can A17.0 be reported with A17.82?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on A17.0 lists "tuberculous meningoencephalitis (A17.82)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).