FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

J05.0 vs J38.4

J05.0 and J38.4 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 J38.4
acute obstructive laryngitis [croup] (J05.0)
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
J38.4

Edema of larynx

Billable
Chapter 10
Diseases of the respiratory system
Section
J30-J39
Use when the record says
  • Edema (of) glottis
  • Subglottic edema
  • Supraglottic edema
Indexed under
  • Edema, edematous › glottis, glottic, glottidis (obstructive) (passive)

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