If the COPD exacerbation is in the setting of COPD with acute bronchitis, both code J44.
ICD-Code J44. 9 is a billable ICD-10 code used for healthcare diagnosis reimbursement of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is sometimes referred to as chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) or chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD).
This affects airflow to the lungs. Doctors sometimes call this condition emphysema or chronic bronchitis. A person with COPD can experience a period when their symptoms are much worse than usual. This is known as an acute exacerbation.
9, COPD, unspecified J44. 9 includes chronic bronchitis with emphysema, so you don't need an additional code for the emphysema. COPD is a chronic condition and may affect patient care even in the absence of active treatment.
9 – Acute Bronchitis, Unspecified. Code J20. 9 is the diagnosis code used for Acute Bronchitis, Unspecified.
ICD-10 code: J44. 1 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation, unspecified.
People with chronic bronchitis have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is a large group of lung diseases that includes chronic bronchitis. These diseases can block air flow in the lungs and cause breathing problems. The 2 most common conditions of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
An acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a clinical diagnosis made when a patient with COPD experiences a sustained (e.g., 24–48 h) increase in cough, sputum production, and/or dyspnea.
Bronchitis can be a miserable, but minor, illness that follows a viral illness like the common cold – or may follow a more serious condition like a chronic smoker's hack. With COPD, the airways in your lungs become inflamed and thicken, and the tissue where oxygen is exchanged is destroyed.
Note: Code J44. 0 includes a note that says “use additional code to identify infection.” The infection has been identified as acute bronchitis (J20. 9) so this code should be added in addition to the others. Note: There is an exclusion note under J44* (COPD) for emphysema without chronic bronchitis.
VICC agrees with the clinical advice that bronchiectasis and COPD are two separate diseases. A code can be assigned for each condition depending on the documentation in the medical record. In the scenario cited, J47 Bronchiectasis is assigned.
If the patient has an acute exacerbation of COPD and pneumonia, we would assign both codes J44. 0 (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection) and code J44. 1 (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute exacerbation).