Excludes1 pair
J45- vs J69.8
J45 and J69.8 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 J45
detergent asthma (J69.8)
J45
Asthma
Not billable
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J40-J4B
Use when the record says
- allergic (predominantly) asthma
- allergic bronchitis NOS
- allergic rhinitis with asthma
- atopic asthma
- extrinsic allergic asthma
- hay fever with asthma
- idiosyncratic asthma
- intrinsic nonallergic asthma
J69.8
Pneumonitis due to inhalation of other solids and liquids
Billable
- Chapter 10
- Diseases of the respiratory system
- Section
- J60-J70
Use when the record says
- Pneumonitis due to aspiration of blood
- Pneumonitis due to aspiration of detergent
Indexed under
- Detergent asthma
- Asthma, asthmatic › detergent
- Asthma, asthmatic › due to › detergent
- Pneumonitis › due to › detergent
- Pneumonitis › due to › solids, liquids NEC
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