Esophagitis (K20) ICD-10-CM
The K20 code range covers esophagitis with 8 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 5 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2027, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
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
Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
- erosion of esophagus K22.1
- esophagitis with gastro-esophageal reflux disease K21.0
- reflux esophagitis K21.0
- ulcerative esophagitis K22.1
Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
- eosinophilic gastritis or gastroenteritis K52.81
Codes in the K20 Range 8 codes · 5 billable
- K20 EsophagitisNon-billable
- K20.0 Eosinophilic esophagitis
- K20.8 Other esophagitisNon-billable
- K20.80 Other esophagitis without bleeding
- K20.81 Other esophagitis with bleeding
- K20.9 Esophagitis, unspecifiedNon-billable
- K20.90 Esophagitis, unspecified without bleeding
- K20.91 Esophagitis, unspecified with bleeding
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the K20 range.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Chronic ESOPHAGITIS characterized by esophageal mucosal EOSINOPHILIA. It is diagnosed when an increase in EOSINOPHILS are present over the entire esophagus. The reflux symptoms fail to respond to PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS treatment, unlike in GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE. The symptoms are associated with IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to food or inhalant allergens.
Esophagitis
INFLAMMATION, acute or chronic, of the ESOPHAGUS caused by BACTERIA, chemicals, or TRAUMA.
About the K20 Code Range
Esophagitis is inflammation of the food pipe, called the esophagus. It can be acute or chronic.
K20 separates eosinophilic esophagitis from other esophagitis and esophagitis with no specified type. The other and unspecified types each split by whether bleeding is present.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the K20 range?
Of the 8 codes in this range, 5 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the K20 range classify?
The range classifies esophagitis. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
