J02 vs J39.1
J02 (Acute pharyngitis) compared with J39.1 (Other abscess of pharynx), 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. J02 carries an Excludes1 note covering J39.1: “pharyngeal abscess (J39.1)”
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
| J02Acute pharyngitis | J39.1Other abscess of pharynx | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Billable |
| Classification | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) |
| Definition | Acute pharyngitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J02). | Other abscess of pharynx is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (J39.1). |
| Includes | acute sore throat | Cellulitis of pharynx Nasopharyngeal abscess |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources