J18 vs J69.0
J18 (Pneumonia, unspecified organism) compared with J69.0 (Pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit), from the official CMS tabular data. Both may be reported when both conditions are documented (Excludes2).
Can these codes be reported together?
Yes, when both are documented. J18 carries an Excludes2 note covering J69.0: “aspiration pneumonia due to solids and liquids (J69.-)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Yes, when both are documented. J18 carries an Excludes2 note covering J69.0: “aspiration pneumonia NOS (J69.0)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Yes, when both are documented. J18 carries an Excludes2 note covering J69.0: “pneumonia due to solids and liquids (J69.-)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| J18Pneumonia, unspecified organism | J69.0Pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pneumonia, unspecified organism is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J18). | Pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (J69.0). |
| Includes | — | Aspiration pneumonia NOS Aspiration pneumonia (due to) food (regurgitated) Aspiration pneumonia (due to) gastric secretions Aspiration pneumonia (due to) milk |
| 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