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G03

Non-Billable (Header)

Meningitis due to other and unspecified causes

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)

What This Code Means

G03 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for meningitis due to other and unspecified causes. G03 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the nervous system (g00-g99), within the section covering inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (g00-g09).

Header codes like G03 cannot be reported on claims directly — they organize child codes that share clinical context but the actual diagnosis must be coded to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation. Coders should look at G03's child codes and select the one that matches the patient's documented presentation, since payers reject header codes submitted as the primary diagnosis. For risk adjustment workflows, header codes never contribute to a Medicare Advantage member's RAF score on their own; only billable child codes that happen to map to a payment HCC affect risk-adjusted plan payments.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for G03 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Includes

  • arachnoiditis NOS
  • leptomeningitis NOS
  • meningitis NOS
  • pachymeningitis NOS

Excludes 1 — Do NOT code together

  • meningoencephalitis (G04.-)
  • meningomyelitis (G04.-)

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

G03Meningitis due to other and unspecified causes
G03Meningitis due to other and unspecified causes

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