J34.8210 — External nasal valve collapse, unspecified
Is J34.8210 billable?
Yes, but J34.8210 is an unspecified code. J34.8210 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, J34.8210 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting J34.8210 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
J34.8210 at a glance
| Code | J34.8210 |
|---|---|
| Description | External nasal valve collapse, unspecified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
What Medicare edits apply to J34.8210?
The Medicare Code Editor screens inpatient claims before they are grouped. These edits name J34.8210 directly.
CMS will reject this code as the principal diagnosis on an inpatient claim. It describes something other than the condition chiefly responsible for the admission.
Which MS-DRGs does J34.8210 group to?
J34.8210 sits in MDC 03 and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 154Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCCmedical
- 155Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with CCmedical
- 156Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses without CC/MCCmedical
How is J34.8210 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to J34.8210. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Collapse › nasal valve › external
Code first — inherited from J34.82
The underlying condition below must be sequenced before J34.8210. J34.8210 describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.
- underlying cause, such as:
- deviated nasal septum (J34.2)
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 10
Report an additional code alongside J34.8210 to fully describe the condition. J34.8210 is sequenced first.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 10
The conditions below are not part of J34.8210, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, J34.8210 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 J34
The conditions below are not part of J34.8210, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, J34.8210 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- varicose ulcer of nasal septum (I86.8)
How long has J34.8210 existed?
J34.8210 first appears in FY2025.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.