J15.6 — Pneumonia due to other Gram-negative bacteria

Not billable

Is J15.6 billable?

No — J15.6 is a non-billable header code. J15.6 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 2 billable codes beneath J15.6.

Billable codes under this header

J15.6 at a glance

Code	J15.6
Description	Pneumonia due to other Gram-negative bacteria
Billable	No — header code
Code set	ICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encounters	October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from J15

The conditions below can never be reported together with J15.6 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

chlamydial pneumonia (J16.0)
congenital pneumonia (P23.-)
Legionnaires' disease (A48.1)
spirochetal pneumonia (A69.8)

Code first — inherited from J15

The underlying condition below must be sequenced before J15.6. J15.6 describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.

, if applicable, associated influenza (J09.X1, J10.0-, J11.0-)

Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 10

Report an additional code alongside J15.6 to fully describe the condition. J15.6 is sequenced first.

code, where applicable, to identify:
exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81)
history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
tobacco dependence (F17.-)
tobacco use (Z72.0)

Use additional code — inherited from J09-J18

Report an additional code alongside J15.6 to fully describe the condition. J15.6 is sequenced first.

code, if applicable, to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 10

The conditions below are not part of J15.6, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, J15.6 and the excluded code may both be reported.

certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
neoplasms (C00-D49)
smoke inhalation (T59.81-)
symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from J09-J18

The conditions below are not part of J15.6, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, J15.6 and the excluded code may both be reported.

allergic or eosinophilic pneumonia (J82)
aspiration pneumonia NOS (J69.0)
meconium pneumonia (P24.01)
neonatal aspiration pneumonia (P24.-)
pneumonia due to solids and liquids (J69.-)
congenital pneumonia (P23.9)
lipid pneumonia (J69.1)
rheumatic pneumonia (I00)
ventilator associated pneumonia (J95.851)

Code also — inherited from J15

Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether J15.6 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.

, if applicable, any associated condition such as:
abscess (J85.1)
aspiration pneumonia (J69.-)

What codes fall under J15.6? (2)

How long has J15.6 existed?

J15.6 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.

FY2024: J15.6 stopped being billable

Description changes

FY2018
Pneumonia due to other aerobic Gram-negative bacteria
Pneumonia due to other Gram-negative bacteria

Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.