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I26.9 vs O88

I26.9 (Pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale) compared with O88 (Obstetric embolism), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because I26.9 lists O88 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and chapter.I26.9 is “Pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale”; O88 is “Obstetric embolism”. I26.9 sits in I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99); O88 in O00-O9A — Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium (O00-O9A).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.I26.9 lists O88 under Excludes2: “pulmonary embolism complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.-)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.I26.9’s tabular entry: “pulmonary embolism complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.-)”. The note covers O88.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one a parent or header code?

Both are headers.Both are non-billable headers, and neither contains the other.

Registry fact

Nothing found in 3 other checks; 1 check does not apply
Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. I26.9 carries 1 Excludes1 note and O88 carries 5 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

I26.9
Pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale
↔
O88
Obstetric embolism

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.I26.9 carries an Excludes2 note covering O88: “pulmonary embolism complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.-)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

Similar descriptions do not make codes interchangeable. The documentation and the official instructions decide which code applies.

Official descriptionDiffers
I26.9

Pulmonary embolism without acute cor pulmonale

O88

Obstetric embolism

StatusDiffers
I26.9
Non-billable header

A header is not reported on a claim; a code beneath it is.

Report instead: I26.90, I26.92, I26.93, I26.94, I26.95

O88
Non-billable header

A header is not reported on a claim; a code beneath it is.

Report instead: O88.011, O88.012, O88.013, O88.019, O88.02

Excludes1Differs
I26.9
  • cor pulmonale without embolism (I27.81)
O88
  • embolism complicating abortion NOS (O03.2)
  • embolism complicating ectopic or molar pregnancy (O08.2)
  • embolism complicating failed attempted abortion (O07.2)
  • embolism complicating induced abortion (O04.7)
  • embolism complicating spontaneous abortion (O03.2, O03.7)
Excludes2Differs
I26.9
  • chronic pulmonary embolism (I27.82)
  • personal history of pulmonary embolism (Z86.711)
  • pulmonary embolism complicating abortion, ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.2)
  • pulmonary embolism complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.-)
  • pulmonary embolism due to trauma (T79.0, T79.1)
  • pulmonary embolism due to complications of surgical and medical care (T80.0, T81.7-, T82.8-)
  • septic (non-pulmonary) arterial embolism (I76)
O88
  • mental and behavioral disorders associated with the puerperium (F53.-)
  • obstetrical tetanus (A34)
  • puerperal osteomalacia (M83.0)
CategoryDiffers
I26.9

I26 Pulmonary embolism

O88

Is itself a category

ChapterDiffers
I26.9

I00-I99 — Diseases of the Circulatory System (I00-I99)

O88

O00-O9A — Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Puerperium (O00-O9A)

IncludesDiffers
I26.9
  • pulmonary (acute) (artery)(vein) infarction
  • pulmonary (acute) (artery)(vein) thromboembolism
  • pulmonary (acute) (artery)(vein) thrombosis
O88

None at this code

No Code first, Use additional code, Code also and 7th character note at either code.

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on. In a row that differs, each code’s own notes are listed under it, and the notes every code shares are listed once beneath them.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources