J95.821 ICD-10-CM Code: Acute postprocedural respiratory failure

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for J95.821 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 J95.821 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for J95.821

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

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).

Official instructions as workflow

• Excludes2 — not part of J95.821(5 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in J95.821. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

  CompareJ96, J69, T81.82, J18.2

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

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.

Indexed Clinical Terms (2)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

• Complication (s) (from) (of), respiratory system, postoperative, respiratory failure (acute)
• Failure, failed, respiration, respiratory, postprocedural (acute)

Don’t confuse J95.821 with…

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

The codes most likely to be picked instead of J95.821 — 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.

• J96— 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 respiratory failure in other conditions adds J96; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs J96 →

• J69— 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 aspiration pneumonia adds J69; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs J69 →

• T81.82— 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 (subcutaneous) resulting from a procedure adds T81.82; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs T81.82 →

• J18.2— 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 hypostatic pneumonia adds J18.2; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs J18.2 →

• J70.0— 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 pulmonary manifestations due to radiation adds J70.0; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs J70.0 →

• J70.1— 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 pulmonary manifestations due to radiation adds J70.1; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: J95.821 vs J70.1 →

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.

Verify Before Coding

• MCC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2026). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

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 J95.821 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: J96 — Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified (via J95.82.-).

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

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: MCC — Major Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 13 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list. Does not count toward severity when the stay groups to DRGs 928-929 (Full Thickness Burn with Skin Graft or Inhalation Injury).

Named in the grouper logic of 3 MS-DRGs: DRG 189 (MDC 04), DRG 928 (MDC 22), DRG 929 (MDC 22).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):RSP017 — Postprocedural or postoperative respiratory system complication (default); RSP012 — Respiratory failure; insufficiency; arrest.

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical process (MS-DRG)

Acts as MCC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

J22 — Unspecified acute lower respiratory infection, J95.1 — Acute pulmonary insufficiency following thoracic surgery, J95.2 — Acute pulmonary insufficiency following nonthoracic surgery, J95.3 — Chronic pulmonary insufficiency following surgery, J95.822 — Acute and chronic postprocedural respiratory failure, J98.8 — Other specified respiratory disorders, J98.9 — Respiratory disorder, unspecified, N80.B1 — Endometriosis of pleura, N80.B2 — Endometriosis of lung, N80.B31 — Superficial endometriosis of diaphragm, N80.B32 — Deep endometriosis of diaphragm, N80.B39 — Endometriosis of diaphragm, unspecified depth

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical categories (Postprocedural or postoperative respiratory system complication, Respiratory failure; insufficiency; arrest).

J95.2 — Acute pulmonary insufficiency following nonthoracic surgery, J95.3 — Chronic pulmonary insufficiency following surgery, J95.4 — Chemical pneumonitis due to anesthesia, J95.5 — Postprocedural subglottic stenosis, J95.61 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a respiratory system organ or structure complicating a respiratory system procedure, J95.62 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a respiratory system organ or structure complicating other procedure, J95.71 — Accidental puncture and laceration of a respiratory system organ or structure during a respiratory system procedure, J95.72 — Accidental puncture and laceration of a respiratory system organ or structure during other procedure, J95.811 — Postprocedural pneumothorax, J95.812 — Postprocedural air leak, J95.822 — Acute and chronic postprocedural respiratory failure, J95.830 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a respiratory system organ or structure following a respiratory system procedure, J95.831 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a respiratory system organ or structure following other procedure, J95.84 — Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), J95.850 — Mechanical complication of respirator, J95.851 — Ventilator associated pneumonia, J95.859 — Other complication of respirator [ventilator], J95.860 — Postprocedural hematoma of a respiratory system organ or structure following a respiratory system procedure, J95.861 — Postprocedural hematoma of a respiratory system organ or structure following other procedure, J95.862 — Postprocedural seroma of a respiratory system organ or structure following a respiratory system procedure, +25 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Failure, failed”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

I50.82 — Biventricular heart failure (biventricular), I50.83 — High output heart failure (heart, high output NOS), I50.84 — End stage heart failure (heart, end stage), I50.89 — Other heart failure (heart, specified NEC), I50.9 — Heart failure, unspecified (heart), I67.9 — Cerebrovascular disease, unspecified (cerebrovascular), I70.90 — Unspecified atherosclerosis (heart, arteriosclerotic), I97.13 — Postprocedural heart failure (heart, postprocedural), I97.130 — Postprocedural heart failure following cardiac surgery (heart, following cardiac surgery), I97.131 — Postprocedural heart failure following other surgery (heart, following other surgery), J96.00 — Acute respiratory failure, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, acute), J96.01 — Acute respiratory failure with hypoxia (respiration, respiratory, acute, with, hypoxia), J96.02 — Acute respiratory failure with hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, acute, with, hypercarbia), J96.10 — Chronic respiratory failure, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, chronic), J96.11 — Chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia (respiration, respiratory, chronic, with, hypoxia), J96.12 — Chronic respiratory failure with hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, chronic, with, hypercapnia), J96.20 — Acute and chronic respiratory failure, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, acute andchronic), J96.21 — Acute and chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia (respiration, respiratory, acute andchronic, with, hypoxia), J96.22 — Acute and chronic respiratory failure with hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory, acute andchronic, with, hypercapnia), J96.90 — Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia (respiration, respiratory), +129 more

Contextual Map

Every relationship of J95.821 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 J95.821 with this related code 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
• J95-J95 — Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of respiratory system, not elsewhere classified[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

• J96 — Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified[Excludes1](via J95.82.-): “postprocedural respiratory failure (J95.82-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Clinical classification (CCSR)

• RSP017 — Postprocedural or postoperative respiratory system complication[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)
• RSP012 — Respiratory failure; insufficiency; arrest[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)

MS-DRG Grouper

• MCC — Major Complication or Comorbidity [MS-DRG severity]: “As a secondary diagnosis this code can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier (MCC). Not counted when the stay groups to DRGs 928-929 (Full Thickness Burn with Skin Graft or Inhalation Injury).”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix C) · FY2026
• DRG 189 — PULMONARY EDEMA AND RESPIRATORY FAILURE[MS-DRG]: “PULMONARY EDEMA AND RESPIRATORY FAILURE (MDC 04)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
• DRG 928 — FULL THICKNESS BURN WITH SKIN GRAFT OR INHALATION INJURY WITH CC/MCC[MS-DRG]: “FULL THICKNESS BURN WITH SKIN GRAFT OR INHALATION INJURY WITH CC/MCC (MDC 22)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
• DRG 929 — FULL THICKNESS BURN WITH SKIN GRAFT OR INHALATION INJURY WITHOUT CC/MCC[MS-DRG]: “FULL THICKNESS BURN WITH SKIN GRAFT OR INHALATION INJURY WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 22)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026

MDC crossing

• MDC 04 — Diseases and Disorders of the Respiratory System[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Respiratory System — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 3,998 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026
• MDC 22 — Burns[MDC crossing]: “Burns — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 377 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Index entries

• Complication (s) (from) (of), respiratory system, postoperative, respiratory failure (acute)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
• Failure, failed, respiration, respiratory, postprocedural (acute)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes (40)

• J95 — Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of respiratory system, not elsewhere classified[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.0 — Tracheostomy complications[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.00 — Unspecified tracheostomy complication[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.01 — Hemorrhage from tracheostomy stoma[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.02 — Infection of tracheostomy stoma[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.03 — Malfunction of tracheostomy stoma[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.04 — Tracheo-esophageal fistula following tracheostomy[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• J95.09 — Other tracheostomy complication[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 32 more

Change history

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

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

Claim edits Official source data

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

Inpatient payment groups Official source data

CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 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 J95.821 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• J95.8 — Other intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of respiratory system, not elsewhere classified
• J95.81 — Postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak
• J95.811 — Postprocedural pneumothorax
• J95.812 — Postprocedural air leak
• J95.82 — Postprocedural respiratory failure
• J95.822 — Acute and chronic postprocedural respiratory failure
• J95.83 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a respiratory system organ or structure following a procedure
• J95.830 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a respiratory system organ or structure following a respiratory system procedure
• J95.831 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a respiratory system organ or structure following other procedure
• J95.84 — Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)

View all codes in the J95 family