K70.31

Billable

Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 64 — Cirrhosis of Liver

0.666

V24HCC 28 — Cirrhosis of Liver

0.390

ESRDHCC 28 — Cirrhosis of Liver

0.000

What This Code Means

Advanced liver disease from chronic alcohol use with severe scarring and damage, accompanied by fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity.

Coding Tips

•Ascites must be documented in the medical record to justify this code; if ascites is not present, use K70.30
•Consider coding ascites separately if it requires specific treatment or monitoring beyond the cirrhosis management

Clinical Significance

Alcoholic cirrhosis with ascites represents decompensated liver disease with portal hypertension, indicating advanced liver failure with poor prognosis. This condition requires intensive management including fluid restriction, diuretics, and urgent transplant evaluation due to high mortality risk.

Documentation Requirements

✓Documentation of alcoholic cirrhosis diagnosis
✓Presence of ascites clearly documented
✓Evidence of decompensated liver disease
✓Alcohol use history and causative role
✓Assessment of Child-Pugh or MELD score
✓Portal hypertension evaluation
✓Fluid management and response to treatment
✓Transplant candidacy assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

K70.30 — Alcoholic cirrhosis without ascites is compensated K70.11 — Alcoholic hepatitis with ascites represents inflammation K76.6 — Portal hypertension without cirrhosis documentation R18.8 — Other ascites without liver disease K72.10 — Chronic hepatic failure without cirrhosis

Code Hierarchy

└K70Alcoholic liver disease └K70.3Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver └K70.31Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites

└K70.31Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver with ascites