FY2027
MenuClose
Excludes1 pair

J98.1- vs Z98.3

J98.1 and Z98.3 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 J98.1
therapeutic collapse of lung status (Z98.3)
J98.1

Pulmonary collapse

Not billable
Chapter 10
Diseases of the respiratory system
Section
J96-J99
Z98.3

Post therapeutic collapse of lung status

Billable
Chapter 21
Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
Section
Z77-Z99
Indexed under
  • Postoperative › pneumothorax, therapeutic
  • Postsurgery status › pneumothorax, therapeutic
  • Status › pneumothorax, therapeutic
  • Status › postoperative NEC › pneumothorax, therapeutic
  • Status › postsurgical NEC › pneumothorax, therapeutic

These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.

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