Z20.822 Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19
The ICD-10-CM code for Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19 is Z20.822 (FY2026). It is a billable, claim-ready diagnosis code.
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
Also Known As
ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index entries that lead to Z20.822:
- COVID-19 › contact (with)
- COVID-19 › exposure (to)
- Contact (with) › SARS-CoV-2
- Exposure (to) › SARS-CoV-2
- Exposure (to) › coronavirus (disease) (novel) 2019
- Contact (with) › COVID-19
- Contact (with) › coronavirus (disease) (novel) 2019
- Exposure (to) › COVID-19
Inclusion Terms
- Contact with and (suspected) exposure to SARS-CoV-2
U.S. Hospital Utilization
- An estimated 6,422,097 U.S. inpatient stays in 2023 included Z20.822 among the documented diagnoses.
Source: National Inpatient Sample (NIS), Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2016–2023. National survey-weighted estimates.
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.
Signs/symptoms w/o definitive COVID-19: symptom codes (+Z20.822)(g) Signs and symptoms without definitive diagnosis of COVID- 19 For patients presenting with any signs/symptoms associated with COVID-19 (such as fever, etc.) but a definitive diagnosis has not been established, assign the appropriate code(s) for each of the presenting signs and symptoms such as: • R05.1, Acute cough, or R05.9, Cough, unspecified • R06.02 Shortness of breath • R50.9 Fever, unspecified If a patient with signs/symptoms associated with COVID-19 also has an actual or suspected contact with or exposure to COVID-19, assign Z20.822, Contact with and (suspected) exposure to COVID-19, as an additional code.
Source: CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026