J15 vs J16.0
J15 (Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified) compared with J16.0 (Chlamydial pneumonia), 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 J16.0: “chlamydial pneumonia (J16.0)”
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
| J15Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified | J16.0Chlamydial pneumonia | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J15). | Chlamydial pneumonia is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (J16.0). |
| 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, if applicable, to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-) |
| Code first | , if applicable, associated influenza (J09.X1, J10.0-, J11.0-) | , 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