An apparatus configured to code video information in a bitstream includes a memory and a processor in communication with the memory. The memory is configured to store video information associated with a video layer having a current picture. The processor is configured to: determine whether a slice segment header extension associated with the current picture is present in the bitstream; and determine that one or more most significant bits (MSBs) of a picture order count (POC) value associated with the current picture are not present in the bitstream in response to a determination that the slice segment header extension associated with the current picture is not present in the bitstream. The processor may encode or decode the video information in the bitstream.