Excludes1 pair
J04.2 vs J05.0
J04.2 and J05.0 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on J04.2
acute obstructive laryngotracheitis (J05.0)
J04.2
Acute laryngotracheitis
Billable
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J00-J06
Use when the record says
- Laryngotracheitis NOS
- Tracheitis (acute) with laryngitis (acute)
Indexed under
- Laryngotracheitis (acute) (Infectional) (infective) (viral)
- Laryngotracheitis › Hemophilus influenzae
- Laryngotracheitis › streptococcal
- Tracheitis › with › laryngitis (acute)
J05.0
Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup]
Billable
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J00-J06
Use when the record says
- Obstructive laryngitis (acute) NOS
- Obstructive laryngotracheitis NOS
Indexed under
- Croup, croupous (catarrhal) (infectious) (inflammatory) (nondiphtheritic)
- Angina › croupous
- Angina › membranous
- Angina › trachealis
- Laryngitis › obstructive
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027