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  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code K70
Version 2024
Non-Billable Code

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K70

Alcoholic liver disease

ICD-10-CM Code:
K70
ICD-10 Code for:
Alcoholic liver disease
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the digestive system
    (K00–K95)
    • Diseases of liver
      (K70-K77)
      • Alcoholic liver disease
        (K70)

K70 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Alcoholic liver disease

Non-specific codes like K70 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for alcoholic liver disease:

  • Use K70.0 for Alcoholic fatty liver - BILLABLE CODE

  • K70.1 for Alcoholic hepatitis - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.10 for Alcoholic hepatitis without ascites - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.11 for Alcoholic hepatitis with ascites - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.2 for Alcoholic fibrosis and sclerosis of liver - BILLABLE CODE

  • K70.3 for Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.30 for Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver without ascites - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.31 for Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites - BILLABLE CODE

  • K70.4 for Alcoholic hepatic failure - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.40 for Alcoholic hepatic failure without coma - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.41 for Alcoholic hepatic failure with coma - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K70.9 for Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified - BILLABLE CODE

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Use Additional Code

Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
  • code to identify:
  • alcohol abuse and dependence F10

Patient Education


Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

What is alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. However, about 18 million adult Americans have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means that their drinking causes distress and harm. AUD can range from mild to severe, depending on the symptoms. Severe AUD is sometimes called alcoholism or alcohol dependence.

AUD is a disease that causes:

  • Craving - a strong need to drink
  • Loss of control - not being able to stop drinking once you've started
  • Negative emotional state - feeling anxious and irritable when you are not drinking

What is binge drinking?

Binge drinking is drinking so much at once that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is 0.08% or more. For a man, this usually happens after having 5 or more drinks within a few hours. For a woman, it is after about 4 or more drinks within a few hours. Not everyone who binge drinks has an AUD, but they are at higher risk for getting one.

What are the dangers of too much alcohol?

Too much alcohol is dangerous. Heavy drinking can increase the risk of certain cancers. It may lead to liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis. It can also cause damage to the brain and other organs. Drinking during pregnancy can harm your baby. Alcohol also increases the risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicide, and suicide.

How do I know if I have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

You may have an AUD if you can answer yes to two or more of these questions:

In the past year, have you:

  • Ended up drinking more or for a longer time than you had planned to?
  • Wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn't?
  • Spent a lot of your time drinking or recovering from drinking?
  • Felt a strong need to drink?
  • Found that drinking - or being sick from drinking - often interfered with your family life, job, or school?
  • Kept drinking even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
  • Given up or cut back on activities that you enjoyed just so you could drink?
  • Gotten into dangerous situations while drinking or after drinking? Some examples are driving drunk and having unsafe sex.
  • Kept drinking even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious? Or when it was adding to another health problem?
  • Had to drink more and more to feel the effects of the alcohol?
  • Had withdrawal symptoms when the alcohol was wearing off? They include trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, and sweating. In severe cases, you could have a fever, seizures, or hallucinations.

If you have any of these symptoms, your drinking may already be a cause for concern. The more symptoms you have, the more serious the problem is.

What should I do if I think that I might have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

If you think you might have an AUD, see your health care provider for an evaluation. Your provider can help make a treatment plan, prescribe medicines, and if needed, give you treatment referrals.

NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Liver Diseases

Your liver is the largest organ inside your body. It helps your body digest food, store energy, and remove poisons.

There are many kinds of liver diseases:

  • Diseases caused by viruses, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C
  • Diseases caused by drugs, poisons, or too much alcohol. Examples include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis.
  • Liver cancer
  • Inherited diseases, such as hemochromatosis and Wilson disease

Symptoms of liver disease can vary, but they often include swelling of the abdomen and legs, bruising easily, changes in the color of your stool and urine, and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes. Sometimes there are no symptoms. Tests such as imaging tests and liver function tests can check for liver damage and help to diagnose liver diseases.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.