ICD-10 Code K70.9 – Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K70.9 – Alcoholic liver disease, unspecified
What it is
K70.9 identifies alcoholic liver disease when the record confirms alcohol-related liver injury but does not specify the exact form. Use it when documentation does not name fatty liver, hepatitis, fibrosis, or cirrhosis.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Patients may have signs of chronic alcohol-related liver injury, but the chart should clearly support liver disease linked to alcohol use.
When to use this code
Use K70.9 when the provider documents alcoholic liver disease without further detail. It is appropriate when the note says “alcoholic liver disease” or “alcohol-related liver disease” and no more specific subtype is recorded. Check documentation if the record also mentions cirrhosis, hepatitis, or steatosis.
Do not use for
Do not use this code if the record specifies a more detailed alcoholic liver diagnosis, such as alcoholic cirrhosis or alcoholic hepatitis. Do not assign it when liver disease is not linked to alcohol in the documentation.
Coding tip
Code the most specific alcoholic liver diagnosis documented; if specificity is missing, K70.9 is the fallback.