J96 vs R06
J96 (Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified) compared with R06 (Abnormalities of breathing), 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. R06 carries an Excludes1 note covering J96: “respiratory failure (J96.-)”
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
| J96Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified | R06Abnormalities of breathing | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Non-billable header |
| Classification | J00-J99 — Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) | R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) |
| Definition | Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (J96). | Abnormalities of breathing is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (R06). |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources