ICD-10-CM Code For Alcoholic Liver Disease: Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group K70 includes alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fibrosis and sclerosis of liver, and alcoholic cirrhosis, covering liver injury caused by alcohol consumption. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical scenarios that capture disease severity, organ involvement, and complications such as portal hypertension or hepatic failure. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM K70 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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ICD-10-CM K70: Alcoholic Liver Disease Overview

The ICD-10-CM K70 group includes diagnoses related to liver injury and chronic liver disease caused by alcohol use, ranging from fatty liver to alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis. These conditions affect the hepatic system and can involve varying degrees of inflammation, fibrosis, and functional impairment. Accurate coding is important to reflect disease severity and support appropriate reimbursement.

When to Use

Use a code from this group when the clinician documents that liver disease is caused by alcohol consumption and specifies the type or severity of the condition. Codes are selected to reflect acute versus chronic presentations and to indicate complications or organ dysfunction when documented.

ICD-10-CM Codes

9 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
K70.0	Alcoholic fatty liver
K70.10	Alcoholic hepatitis without ascites
K70.11	Alcoholic hepatitis with ascites
K70.2	Alcoholic fibrosis and sclerosis of liver
K70.30	Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver without ascites
K70.31	Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites
K70.40	Alcoholic hepatic failure without coma
K70.41	Alcoholic hepatic failure with coma
K70.9	Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified

DRG Codes

6 rows

DRG Code	Description
432	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC
433	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with CC
434	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis without CC/MCC
441	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC
442	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis with CC
443	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A middle-aged patient with a history of heavy, long-term alcohol use presents to the emergency department with progressive right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, fever, and tender hepatomegaly. Laboratory tests show markedly elevated AST and ALT with a AST:ALT ratio >2 and an elevated gamma‑glutamyl transferase; imaging excludes biliary obstruction. The working diagnosis is acute alcoholic hepatitis on a background of chronic alcohol misuse, so an alcoholic liver disease code for alcoholic hepatitis is assigned. Typical codes: K70.10, K70.11
A 55-year-old patient in outpatient hepatology clinic with years of documented alcohol dependence has persistent fatigue, mild jaundice, and stigmata of chronic liver disease; imaging and labs demonstrate nodular liver contour and portal hypertension with splenomegaly. This represents chronic alcoholic cirrhosis as the long-term consequence of alcohol-related liver injury and is coded to reflect alcoholic cirrhosis with or without ascites depending on current fluid status. Typical codes: K70.30, K70.31
A hospitalized patient with known alcohol use disorder is admitted from clinic for evaluation of progressive variceal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy; chart review documents prior episodes of alcoholic fatty change and cirrhosis. Because the hospitalization is for complications of alcohol-related chronic liver disease (decompensation with encephalopathy/bleeding), an alcoholic liver disease code capturing alcoholic cirrhosis or unspecified alcoholic liver disease is assigned to indicate the alcohol etiology of the liver failure. Typical codes: K70.2, K70.9}

Related Codes

K71-TOXIC-LIVER-DISEASE

ICD-10-CM Code For Toxic Liver Disease: Group Overview

K72-HEPATIC-FAILURE-NOT-ELSEWHERE-CLASSIFIED

ICD-10-CM Code For Hepatic Failure Not Elsewhere Classified: Group Overview

K73-CHRONIC-HEPATITIS-NOT-ELSEWHERE-CLASSIFIED

ICD-10-CM Code For Chronic Hepatitis Not Elsewhere Classified: Group Overview

K74-FIBROSIS-AND-CIRRHOSIS-OF-LIVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Fibrosis And Cirrhosis Of Liver: Group Overview

K75-OTHER-INFLAMMATORY-LIVER-DISEASES

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Inflammatory Liver Diseases: Group Overview

K76-OTHER-DISEASES-OF-LIVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Diseases Of Liver: Group Overview

K77-LIVER-DISORDERS-IN-DISEASES-CLASSIFIED-ELSEWHERE

ICD-10-CM Code For Liver Disorders In Diseases Classified Elsewhere: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

9 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
K70.0	Alcoholic fatty liver
K70.10	Alcoholic hepatitis without ascites
K70.11	Alcoholic hepatitis with ascites
K70.2	Alcoholic fibrosis and sclerosis of liver
K70.30	Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver without ascites
K70.31	Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites
K70.40	Alcoholic hepatic failure without coma
K70.41	Alcoholic hepatic failure with coma
K70.9	Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified

DRG Codes

6 rows

DRG Code	Description
432	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC
433	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with CC
434	Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis without CC/MCC
441	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC
442	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis with CC
443	Disorders of Liver Except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic Hepatitis without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A middle-aged patient with a history of heavy, long-term alcohol use presents to the emergency department with progressive right upper quadrant pain, jaundice, fever, and tender hepatomegaly. Laboratory tests show markedly elevated AST and ALT with a AST:ALT ratio >2 and an elevated gamma‑glutamyl transferase; imaging excludes biliary obstruction. The working diagnosis is acute alcoholic hepatitis on a background of chronic alcohol misuse, so an alcoholic liver disease code for alcoholic hepatitis is assigned. Typical codes: K70.10, K70.11
A 55-year-old patient in outpatient hepatology clinic with years of documented alcohol dependence has persistent fatigue, mild jaundice, and stigmata of chronic liver disease; imaging and labs demonstrate nodular liver contour and portal hypertension with splenomegaly. This represents chronic alcoholic cirrhosis as the long-term consequence of alcohol-related liver injury and is coded to reflect alcoholic cirrhosis with or without ascites depending on current fluid status. Typical codes: K70.30, K70.31
A hospitalized patient with known alcohol use disorder is admitted from clinic for evaluation of progressive variceal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy; chart review documents prior episodes of alcoholic fatty change and cirrhosis. Because the hospitalization is for complications of alcohol-related chronic liver disease (decompensation with encephalopathy/bleeding), an alcoholic liver disease code capturing alcoholic cirrhosis or unspecified alcoholic liver disease is assigned to indicate the alcohol etiology of the liver failure. Typical codes: K70.2, K70.9}

Related Codes

K71-TOXIC-LIVER-DISEASE

ICD-10-CM Code For Toxic Liver Disease: Group Overview

K72-HEPATIC-FAILURE-NOT-ELSEWHERE-CLASSIFIED

ICD-10-CM Code For Hepatic Failure Not Elsewhere Classified: Group Overview

K73-CHRONIC-HEPATITIS-NOT-ELSEWHERE-CLASSIFIED

ICD-10-CM Code For Chronic Hepatitis Not Elsewhere Classified: Group Overview

K74-FIBROSIS-AND-CIRRHOSIS-OF-LIVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Fibrosis And Cirrhosis Of Liver: Group Overview

K75-OTHER-INFLAMMATORY-LIVER-DISEASES

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Inflammatory Liver Diseases: Group Overview

K76-OTHER-DISEASES-OF-LIVER

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Diseases Of Liver: Group Overview

K77-LIVER-DISORDERS-IN-DISEASES-CLASSIFIED-ELSEWHERE

ICD-10-CM Code For Liver Disorders In Diseases Classified Elsewhere: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-CM Code For Alcoholic Liver Disease: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Alcoholic Liver Disease: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM K70: Alcoholic Liver Disease Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Alcoholic Liver Disease: Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-CM Code For Alcoholic Liver Disease: Group Overview policy alerts

ICD-10-CM K70: Alcoholic Liver Disease Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in the ICD-10-CM K70 group?

How does accurate coding within K70 support reimbursement?

Which related DRGs should coders consider when assigning K70 codes?

How are complications like ascites or coma represented within the K70 codes?

What clinical scenarios do K70 codes aim to document?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in the ICD-10-CM K70 group?

How does accurate coding within K70 support reimbursement?

Which related DRGs should coders consider when assigning K70 codes?

How are complications like ascites or coma represented within the K70 codes?

What clinical scenarios do K70 codes aim to document?

References