A48.1 vs J15
A48.1 (Legionnaires' disease) compared with J15 (Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. J15 carries an Excludes1 note covering A48.1: “Legionnaires' disease (A48.1)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| A48.1Legionnaires' disease | J15Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) |
| Definition | Legionnaires' disease is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (A48.1). | Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J15). |
| Includes | — | bronchopneumonia due to bacteria other than S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae |
| Use additional code | — | code, if applicable, to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-) |
| Code first | — | , if applicable, associated influenza (J09.X1, J10.0-, J11.0-) |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources