ICD-10 code guides
Reviewed July 1, 2026

ICD-10 codes for GERD

GERD coding turns on esophagitis and bleeding. K21.9 is common when reflux is documented without esophagitis; endoscopy or assessment can support more specific codes.

K21.9 billable

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Paste a note or record audio. Notat’s FactsContext™ engine extracts the raw clinical facts first, then suggests codes from that context so you can inspect the evidence before using anything.

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How to use this tool

1

Paste or dictate a de-identified clinical note — a few sentences is enough.

2

Press Get codes. The coding system is fixed on this page.

3

Review each suggested code and its evidence, then copy the codes you agree with.

Clinical note

ICD-10-CM

Extracted codes

Evidence stays attached for review.

Paste a clinical note or load an example, then press Get codes. Suggestions appear here with the supporting evidence.

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GERD ICD-10 codes

Start with the primary code, then move to a more specific related code when the documentation supports it.

CodeDescriptionSystem

K21.9

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease without esophagitis

ICD-10-CM

K21.00

GERD with esophagitis, without bleeding

ICD-10-CM

K21.01

GERD with esophagitis, with bleeding

ICD-10-CM

R12

Heartburn

ICD-10-CM

K22.70

Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia

ICD-10-CM

How to choose the right code

Use K21.9 for GERD without esophagitis. Use K21.00 or K21.01 when esophagitis is documented, depending on bleeding. Use R12 for heartburn when GERD is not diagnosed.

Documentation example

Three months of post-prandial burning and regurgitation, worse lying down. No dysphagia, weight loss, hematemesis, or melena. Assessment: gastro-esophageal reflux disease without alarm features; PPI trial started.

Suggested:

K21.9

Not direct transcript guessing

FactsContext extracts clinical facts first: diagnoses, symptoms, negatives, findings, test results, medications, and plan decisions.

Raw facts stay usable

The clinician can read and reuse the extracted medical context directly, independent of the generated note.

Built for review

AI suggestions are not a substitute for clinician judgment, payer rules, local coding policy, or the official code set.

FAQ

When do I use K21.00?

Use K21.00 when GERD with esophagitis is documented and there is no bleeding.

Can I code heartburn as GERD?

Only if the clinician diagnoses GERD. Otherwise heartburn alone is coded R12.

Can AI separate symptom and diagnosis?

Notat extracts symptoms, alarm features, endoscopy findings, and assessment as clinical facts, so the suggested code follows the documented diagnosis rather than a guess.

Related ICD-10 guides

Keep moving through the condition hub, or open the general medical coding guide for more coding systems and extractors.

Medical coding hub