Z20 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases

⚠ Non-Billable ICD-10-CM 2026
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The ICD-10-CM code for Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases is Z20 (FY2026). It is a non-billable category code — select a more specific code below for claims.

Classification

Section
Z20-Z29: Persons with potential health hazards related to communicable diseases (Z20-Z29)
Category Z20
23 codes (18 billable)
FY2026 Status
Stable since FY2024
Excludes1
Not coded here. These conditions should NOT be coded together with Z20.
  • carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
  • diagnosed current infectious or parasitic disease -see Alphabetic Index
Excludes2
Not included here. These conditions are coded elsewhere but may be coded together if applicable.
  • personal history of infectious and parasitic diseases (Z86.1-)

Official Coding Guidelines

Exposure to COVID-19: Z20.822 guidance

(e) Exposure to COVID-19 For asymptomatic individuals with actual or suspected exposure to COVID-19, assign code Z20.822, Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19. For symptomatic individuals with actual or suspected exposure to COVID-19 and the infection has been ruled out, or test results are inconclusive or unknown, assign code Z20.822, Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19. See guideline I.C.21.c.1, Contact/Exposure, for additional guidance regarding the use of category Z20 codes. If COVID-19 is confirmed, see guideline I.C.1.g.1.a.

— ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026, Section I.C.1.g.1.(e)
Categories of Z Codes—Contact/Exposure (Z20, Z77)

c. Categories of Z Codes 1) Contact/Exposure Category Z20 indicates contact with, and suspected exposure to, communicable diseases. These codes are for patients who are suspected to have been exposed to a disease by close personal contact with an infected individual or are in an area where a disease is epidemic. Category Z77, Other contact with and (suspected) exposures hazardous to health, indicates contact with and suspected exposures hazardous to health. Contact/exposure codes may be used as a first-listed code to explain an encounter for testing, or, more commonly, as a secondary code to identify a potential risk.

— ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026, Section I.C.21.c

Source: CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026

References

Cite This Page

Reference Z20 with the canonical source and edition:

Z20 — Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases. ICD-10 Coding Pro (ICD-10-CM FY2026). https://icd10codingpro.com/codes/Z20

Canonical URL: https://icd10codingpro.com/codes/Z20

Related Codes

More Specific Codes

Z20.0 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to intestinal infectious diseases Z20.1 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to tuberculosis Z20.2 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission Z20.3 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to rabies Z20.4 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to rubella Z20.5 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis Z20.6 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] Z20.7 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to pediculosis, acariasis and other infestations Z20.8 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other communicable diseases Z20.9 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to unspecified communicable disease

All Codes in Z20

Every most-specific code under Z20 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to communicable diseases (18 codes):

Show the complete Z20 code list
Z20.01 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to intestinal infectious diseases due to Escherichia coli (E. coli) Z20.09 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other intestinal infectious diseases Z20.1 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to tuberculosis Z20.2 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to infections with a predominantly sexual mode of transmission Z20.3 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to rabies Z20.4 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to rubella Z20.5 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to viral hepatitis Z20.6 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] Z20.7 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to pediculosis, acariasis and other infestations Z20.810 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to anthrax Z20.811 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to meningococcus Z20.818 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other bacterial communicable diseases Z20.820 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to varicella Z20.821 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to Zika virus Z20.822 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19 Z20.828 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other viral communicable diseases Z20.89 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to other communicable diseases Z20.9 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to unspecified communicable disease
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Reviewed by Prajwal Shrestha, CPC, CRC
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC) · AAPC Member ID 01997614 · About · Editorial policy · Content last reviewed: 2025-10-01

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