2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K70.9Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›K00–K95›K70-K77›K70

ICD-10-CM K70.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

K70.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for alcoholic liver disease, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 432 through 434. The code is restricted by the Medicare Code Editor to adult patients (age 15 through 124). Coders also document this condition as alcoholic liver damage. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Alcohol-related disorders and Other specified and unspecified liver disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
K70.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified
Short Description
Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
K70
Alcoholic liver disease

Code Classification

ChapterK00–K95Diseases of the digestive system
SectionK70-K77Diseases of liver
CategoryK70Alcoholic liver disease
This CodeK70.9Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for K70.9.

Adult diagnoses
The Medicare Code Editor detects inconsistencies in adult cases by checking a patient's age and any diagnosis on the patient's record. The adult code edits apply to patients age range is 15–124 years inclusive (e.g., senile delirium, mature cataract).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Alcoholic liver damage
  • Bleeding esophageal varices
  • Bleeding esophageal varices due to alcoholic liver disease
  • Chronic alcoholic liver disease
  • Esophageal varices associated with another disorder

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Alcohol, alcoholic, alcohol-induced
      • liver
    • Damage
      • liver (nontraumatic)
        • alcoholic
    • Disease, diseased
      • liver (chronic) (organic)
        • alcoholic (chronic)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MBD017
Alcohol-related disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR DIG019
Other specified and unspecified liver disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

For most adults, moderate alcohol use is probably not harmful. Your risk of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD) depends on how much, how often, and how quickly you drink alcohol. Alcohol misuse means that drinking causes distress and harm. Over time alcohol misuse can increase your risk of AUD.

The full article covers:

  • What is alcohol use disorder (AUD)?
  • What is binge drinking?
  • What are the dangers of too much alcohol?
  • How do I know if I have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)?
  • What should I do if I think that I might have an alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert K70.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
571.3 Alcohol liver damage NOS
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 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About K70.9Overview

Is K70.9 (Alcoholic liver disease) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report alcoholic liver disease, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does K70.9 group to?

When alcoholic liver disease, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 432, 433, 434, with relative weights from 0.7125 to 1.9682 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Who can K70.9 be reported for?

The Medicare Code Editor checks alcoholic liver disease, unspecified against patient demographics: this code is intended for adult patients (age 15 through 124). Claims outside these limits are flagged as inconsistent.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of K70.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, alcoholic liver disease, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 571.3 (alcohol liver damage NOS). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.