2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z20.5Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z20-Z29›suspected

ICD-10-CM Z20.5
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z20.5 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Coders also document this condition as acute infectious hepatitis suspected. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Exposure, encounters, screening or contact with infectious disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z20.5
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis
Short Description
Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z20
Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ20-Z29Persons with potential health hazards related to communicable diseases
CategorysuspectedContact with and exposure to communicable diseases (Z20)
This CodeZ20.5Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute infectious hepatitis suspected
  • Exposure to Hepatitis A virus
  • Exposure to Hepatitis B virus
  • Exposure to Hepatitis C virus
  • Exposure to viral hepatitis

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.

    • Contact(with)
      • viral hepatitis

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR FAC016
Exposure, encounters, screening or contact with infectious disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Inflammation is swelling that happens when tissues of the body are injured or infected. It can damage your liver. This swelling and damage can affect how well your liver functions.

The full article covers:

  • What is hepatitis?
  • What causes hepatitis?
  • How is viral hepatitis spread?
  • Who is at risk for hepatitis?
  • What are the symptoms of hepatitis?
  • What other problems can hepatitis cause?
  • How is hepatitis diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for hepatitis?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert Z20.5 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
V01.79 Viral dis contact NEC
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 Z20.5Overview

Is Z20.5 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z20.5?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis converts to ICD-9-CM V01.79 (viral dis contact NEC). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.