Excludes1 pair
J39- vs J68.2
J39 and J68.2 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 J39
upper respiratory inflammation due to chemicals, gases, fumes or vapors (J68.2)
J39
Other diseases of upper respiratory tract
Not billable
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J30-J39
J68.2
Upper respiratory inflammation due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors, not elsewhere classified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J60-J70
Indexed under
- Inflammation, inflamed, inflammatory › respiratory, upper › due to › chemicals, gases, fumes or vapors (inhalation)
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