Z71.0 Person encountering health services to consult on behalf of another person

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting.

Applicable to

• Person encountering health services to seek advice or treatment for non-attending third party

Excludes2 (not included here)

• anxiety (normal) about sick person in family (Z63.7)
• expectant (adoptive) parent(s) pre-birth pediatrician visit (Z76.81)

Applies from Z71 Persons encountering health services for other counseling and medical advice, not elsewhere classified

Excludes2 (not included here)

• contraceptive or procreation counseling (Z30-Z31)
• sex counseling (Z70.-)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 951 in MDC 23.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• V65.19 Other person consulting on behalf of another person

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Unacceptable principal diagnosis: These codes describe a circumstance which influences care but is not a current illness or injury, or capture only an underlying condition, and are unacceptable as principal diagnosis.

Diagnosis Index entries for Z71.0

• Admission (for) › counseling › nonattending third party
• Counseling (for) › for non-attending third party
• Counseling (for) › medical (for) › on behalf of another
• Person (with) › consulting on behalf of another

Nearby codes

• Z71 Persons encountering health services for other counseling and medical advice, not elsewhere classified
• Z71.0 Person encountering health services to consult on behalf of another person (this code)
• Z71.1 Person with feared health complaint in whom no diagnosis is made
• Z71.2 Person consulting for explanation of examination or test findings
• Z71.3 Dietary counseling and surveillance
• Z71.4 Alcohol abuse counseling and surveillance
• Z71.41 Alcohol abuse counseling and surveillance of alcoholic