This disclosure describes techniques for generating a layered encoded bitstream structure that exploits correlation in header information among video blocks of a coded unit of video data. A video encoder configured to operate in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure separates header information of the video blocks of a slice (or other coded unit) from the residual information of the video blocks of the slice. The video encoder run length encodes the header information of the video blocks to better exploit the correlation of the header information among the blocks of the slice. After encoding the header information of the blocks of the slice, the video encoder encodes the residual information for each of the blocks of the slice. The video encoder transmits the encoded header information as a first sequence of bits and transmits the encoded residual information as second sequence of bits.
