J80 vs J96
J80 (Acute respiratory distress syndrome) compared with J96 (Respiratory failure, 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. J96 carries an Excludes1 note covering J80: “acute respiratory distress syndrome (J80)”
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
| J80Acute respiratory distress syndrome | J96Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header |
| Classification | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) |
| Definition | Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (J80). | Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J96). |
| Includes | Acute respiratory distress syndrome in adult or child Adult hyaline membrane disease | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources