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J20Non-billableSave

J20 - Acute bronchitis

ICD-10-CM Chapter 10: Diseases of the respiratory system · J20-J22 Other acute lower respiratory infections (J20-J22) · Top-level category · FY2027

Coding Guidance

J20 is a non-billable heading. Report one of the 10 more specific codes below.

Includes, Excludes and Coding Notes

IncludesFrom J20

Conditions this code covers.

  • acute and subacute bronchitis (with) bronchospasm
  • acute and subacute bronchitis (with) tracheitis
  • acute and subacute bronchitis (with) tracheobronchitis, acute
  • acute and subacute fibrinous bronchitis
  • acute and subacute membranous bronchitis
  • acute and subacute purulent bronchitis
  • acute and subacute septic bronchitis
Excludes 1 — Not Coded HereFrom J20

Mutually exclusive: these conditions are never reported together with this code.

  • bronchitis NOS (J40)
  • tracheobronchitis NOS (J40)
Excludes 2 — Not Included HereFrom J20

Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.

  • acute bronchitis with bronchiectasis (J47.0)
  • acute bronchitis with chronic obstructive asthma (J44.0)
  • acute bronchitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J44.0)
  • allergic bronchitis NOS (J45.909)
  • bronchitis due to chemicals, fumes and vapors (J68.0)
  • chronic bronchitis NOS (J42)
  • chronic mucopurulent bronchitis (J41.1)
  • chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)
  • chronic obstructive tracheobronchitis (J44.-)
  • chronic simple bronchitis (J41.0)
  • chronic tracheobronchitis (J42)
Excludes 2 — Not Included HereFrom J20-J22 Other acute lower respiratory infections (J20-J22)

Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.

  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0)
Excludes 2 — Not Included HereFrom Chapter J00-J99

Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.

  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • smoke inhalation (T59.81-)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Use Additional CodeFrom Chapter J00-J99

Add a secondary code to identify the associated condition or cause when it is documented.

  • code, where applicable, to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)
NotesFrom Chapter J00-J99

Instructional notes from the ICD-10-CM tabular list.

  • When a respiratory condition is described as occurring in more than one site and is not specifically indexed, it should be classified to the lower anatomic site (e.g. tracheobronchitis to bronchitis in J40).

More Specific Codes (10)

J20.0Acute bronchitis due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae→J20.1Acute bronchitis due to Hemophilus influenzae→J20.2Acute bronchitis due to streptococcus→J20.3Acute bronchitis due to coxsackievirus→J20.4Acute bronchitis due to parainfluenza virus→J20.5Acute bronchitis due to respiratory syncytial virus→J20.6Acute bronchitis due to rhinovirus→J20.7Acute bronchitis due to echovirus→J20.8Acute bronchitis due to other specified organisms→J20.9Acute bronchitis, unspecified→

Related condition guides

Documentation requirements, coding pitfalls and FAQs for conditions coded with J20.