2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J12.9Viral pneumonia, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J09-J18›J12

ICD-10-CM J12.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J12.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for viral pneumonia, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 193 through 195, 974 through 976. Coders also document this condition as bronchopneumonia due to virus. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis) and Viral infection.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J12.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Viral pneumonia, unspecified
Short Description
Viral pneumonia, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J12
Viral pneumonia, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ09-J18Influenza and pneumonia
CategoryJ12Viral pneumonia, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ12.9Viral pneumonia, unspecified

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bronchopneumonia due to virus
  • Disorder of respiratory system co-occurrent with human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • Pneumonia with AIDS
  • Respiratory disorder with AIDS
  • Viral pneumonia
  • Viral pneumonia with AIDS

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • aspiration
        • due to
          • aspiration of microorganisms
            • viral
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • viral, virus (broncho) (interstitial) (lobar)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR RSP002
Pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis)
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes
CCSR INF008
Viral infection
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Patient EducationClinical

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of your lungs. It causes the air sacs of your lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on what caused it, your age, and your overall health.

The full article covers:

  • What is pneumonia?
  • What causes pneumonia?
  • Who is more likely to develop pneumonia?
  • What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
  • What other problems can pneumonia cause?
  • How is pneumonia diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for pneumonia?
  • Can pneumonia be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert J12.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
480.9 Viral pneumonia NOS
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
487.0 Influenza with pneumonia
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About J12.9Overview

Is J12.9 (Viral pneumonia, not elsewhere classified) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report viral pneumonia, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does J12.9 group to?

When viral pneumonia, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 193, 194, 195, 974, 975, 976, with relative weights from 0.6285 to 2.8860 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J12.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, viral pneumonia, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 480.9 (viral pneumonia NOS) and 487.0 (influenza with pneumonia). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.