2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z12.11Encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon
Z12.11 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor and exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Neoplasm-related encounters.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z12.11.
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
Z12.11 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Quality Payment Program MeasuresBilling
Medicare quality measures that can apply when Z12.11 is part of the patient record.
Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients
High Priority: YES
Measure Type: Process
Submission Methods: Claims, Registry
Description: Percentage of patients aged 45 to 75 years of age receiving a screening colonoscopy without biopsy or polypectomy who had a recommended follow-up interval of at least 10 years for repeat colonoscopy documented in their colonoscopy report.
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Inclusion Terms
- Encounter for screening colonoscopy NOS
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Encounter (with health service) (for) - Z76.89
- colonoscopy, screening - Z12.11
- Screening (for) - Z13.9
- colonoscopy - Z12.11
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Encounter(with health service) (for)
- colonoscopy, screening
- Screening(for)
- colonoscopy
- Screening(for)
- neoplasm (malignant) (of)
- colon
- Screening(for)
- neoplasm (malignant) (of)
- intestinal tract
- colon
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Health Screening
Screenings are tests that look for diseases before you have symptoms. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they're easier to treat. You can get some screenings in your doctor's office. Others need special equipment, so you may need to go to a different office or clinic.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert Z12.11 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About Z12.11Overview
Is Z12.11 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Can Z12.11 be a principal diagnosis?
No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.
Is Z12.11 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 encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z12.11?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, encounter for screening for malignant neoplasm of colon converts to ICD-9-CM V76.51 (screen malig neop-colon). The mapping is a direct match.
