2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q01.2Occipital encephalocele
ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q00-Q07›Q01
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- POA Exempt
- Chronic Condition
Q01.2 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for occipital encephalocele. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as brain stem herniation. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Nervous system congenital anomalies.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
Q01.2 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Brain stem herniation
- Chiari malformation
- Chiari malformation type III
- Lethal occipital encephalocele, skeletal dysplasia syndrome
- Occipital encephalocele
- Occipital meningocele
- Retinal detachment and occipital encephalocele
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Encephalocele - Q01.9
- occipital - Q01.2
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Encephalocele
- occipital
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Encephalocele
brain tissue herniation through a congenital or acquired defect in the skull. the majority of congenital encephaloceles occur in the occipital or frontal regions. clinical features include a protuberant mass that may be pulsatile. the quantity and location of protruding neural tissue determines the type and degree of neurologic deficit. visual defects, psychomotor developmental delay, and persistent motor deficits frequently occur.
Patient EducationClinical
Neural Tube Defects
Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. In spina bifida, the fetal spinal column doesn't close completely.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert Q01.2 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About Q01.2Overview
Is Q01.2 (Encephalocele) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report occipital encephalocele on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Is Q01.2 exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for occipital encephalocele on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Q01.2?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, occipital encephalocele converts to ICD-9-CM 742.0 (encephalocele). 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.
