J44 ICD-10-CM Code: Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for J44 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Notes without a marker are published on J44 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for J44

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code J44

1. J44 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

   ReviewJ44.0, J44.1, J44.8, J44.9

   See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

2. “Other” (NEC) means the condition is specified in the record but no dedicated code captures it. Confirm the documented form is not one a sibling code names before settling on J44; if the record states no specifics at all, the unspecified sibling applies instead. “Other” codes are for documented conditions the classification gives no specific code; “unspecified” codes are for records lacking the detail (Guidelines I.A.9.a, I.A.9.b).

   See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

3. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with J44. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

   See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath J44?
   Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
   No → J44 cannot be reported as written; query for the specificity its subcategory needs.

   ReviewJ44.0, J44.1, J44.8, J44.9

2. Does the documentation support a condition named in J44’s Excludes1 note?
   Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
   No → Continue.

   ReviewJ68.0

Consider J44. Then review the Code Also note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement

Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).

Acuity

Acute or chronic as documented; when both are documented and separate codes exist, both are reported with the acute code first (Guidelines I.B.8).

Any detail beyond this code’s title

What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

• Excludes1 — check before selecting J44(1 note)

  Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with J44: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

  CompareJ68.0

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

• Excludes2 — not part of J44(7 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in J44. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

  CompareJ47, J42, J41, J43, E84

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

• Code Also — related condition(1 note)

  Coding workflow: Review the related condition when both are documented and the instruction applies. A Code Also note does not fix sequencing; the order follows the circumstances of the encounter.

  ReviewJ45

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.17

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Official Coding Guidelines

Official source data — quoted verbatim from the CMS/NCHS Official Guidelines

Official source data — quoted verbatim from the CMS/NCHS Official Guidelines

Verbatim excerpts from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (CMS/NCHS) that govern this code.

Don’t confuse J44 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of J44 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• J68.0— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

  Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

  Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

  What moves you there: Documentation of bronchitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors moves the case to J68.0; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

  Full comparison: J44 vs J68.0 →

• J47— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of bronchiectasis adds J47; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J44 vs J47 →

• J42— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of chronic bronchitis NOS adds J42; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J44 vs J42 →

• J41— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of chronic simple and mucopurulent bronchitis adds J41; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J44 vs J41 →

• J43— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of emphysema without chronic bronchitis adds J43; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J44 vs J43 →

• E84— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of cystic fibrosis adds E84; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J44 vs E84 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Decision Points

The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.

1. 1 Code Also note — a second code may apply; the guidelines leave its sequencing to the circumstances of the encounter. See the Code Also notes
2. 1 Excludes1 entry — codes named there are generally not reported together with this code (Guidelines I.A.12.a). See the Excludes1 notes
3. 7 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes

Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.

Verify Before Coding

• Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: J44.0, J44.1, J44.81, J44.89, J44.9.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name J44 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: J42 — Unspecified chronic bronchitis.

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 3 Excludes2 notes: J20 — Acute bronchitis, J41 — Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis, J43 — Emphysema.

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Referenced by 1 Code First instruction: I21.A1 — Myocardial infarction type 2.

Each of these codes carries a Code First note naming this condition — when that code is reported, THIS code is sequenced first, ahead of it.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of J44 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run J44 with these 9 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• J00-J99 — Chapter 10: Diseases of the Respiratory System (J00-J99) (J00-J99)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J40-J4A — Chronic lower respiratory diseases[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Excludes1

• J68.0 — Bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors[Excludes1]: “bronchitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (J68.0)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Excludes2

• E84 — Cystic fibrosis[Excludes2]: “cystic fibrosis (E84.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J41 — Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis[Excludes2]: “chronic simple and mucopurulent bronchitis (J41.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J42 — Unspecified chronic bronchitis[Excludes2]: “chronic bronchitis NOS (J42)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J43 — Emphysema[Excludes2]: “emphysema without chronic bronchitis (J43.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J47 — Bronchiectasis[Excludes2]: “bronchiectasis (J47.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Code Also

• J45 — Asthma[Code Also]: “type of asthma, if applicable (J45.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

• J42 — Unspecified chronic bronchitis[Excludes1]: “chronic asthmatic bronchitis (J44.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

• J20 — Acute bronchitis[Excludes2]: “chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J41 — Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis[Excludes2]: “chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• J43 — Emphysema[Excludes2]: “emphysema with chronic (obstructive) bronchitis (J44.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Code First instructions

• I21.A1 — Myocardial infarction type 2[Code First]: “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J44.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes

• J44.0 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) lower respiratory infection[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J44.1 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J44.8 — Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J44.81 — Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J44.89 — Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J44.9 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Change history

• FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Relevant guides

• Code First, Use Additional Code, and Code Also: What Each Note Requires, and Which Ones Set the Order →
• How Do I Code COPD? Uncomplicated, With Exacerbation, or With a Lower Respiratory Infection →

Common coding questions

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data

CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Coding guidelines Official source data

ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY2026), quoted by section Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Claim edits Official source data

CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data

CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship

Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears

Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation

Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to J44 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• J44.0 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) lower respiratory infection
• J44.1 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation
• J44.8 — Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• J44.81 — Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
• J44.89 — Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• J44.9 — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified