2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J20.9Acute bronchitis, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J20-J22›J20

ICD-10-CM J20.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J20.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for acute bronchitis, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 202 through 203. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Acute bronchitis.

This medical diagnosis code is frequently used in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics medical specialties to designate conditions such acute respiratory infections.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J20.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Acute bronchitis, unspecified
Short Description
Acute bronchitis, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J20
Acute bronchitis

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ20-J22Other acute lower respiratory infections
CategoryJ20Acute bronchitis
This CodeJ20.9Acute bronchitis, unspecified

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute bacterial bronchitis
  • Acute bronchitis
  • Acute bronchitis co-occurrent with wheeze
  • Acute bronchitis with bronchospasm
  • Acute bronchitis with obstruction
  • Acute bronchospasm
  • Acute fibrinous bronchitis
  • Acute fibrinous laryngotracheobronchitis
  • Acute infective bronchitis
  • Acute infective tracheobronchitis
  • Acute laryngitis with obstruction
  • Acute laryngotracheitis
  • Acute noninfective bronchitis
  • Acute purulent bronchitis
  • Acute tracheitis
  • Acute tracheitis with obstruction
  • Acute tracheobronchitis
  • Bronchitis
  • Bronchitis co-occurrent with acute wheeze
  • Bronchitis co-occurrent with chronic wheeze
  • Bronchitis co-occurrent with wheeze
  • Bronchospasm
  • Laryngotracheobronchitis
  • Obstruction of bronchus
  • Obstruction of trachea
  • Plastic bronchitis
  • Purulent bronchitis
  • Septic bronchitis
  • Subacute bronchitis

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.

    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • with
        • tracheitis (l5 years of age and above)
          • acute or subacute
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • with
        • tracheitis (l5 years of age and above)
          • under l5 years of age
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • acute or subacute (with bronchospasm or obstruction)
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • catarrhal (l5 years of age and above)
        • under l5 years of age
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • mucopurulent (chronic) (recurrent)
        • acute or subacute
    • Bronchorrhea
      • acute
    • Croup, croupous(catarrhal) (infectious) (inflammatory) (nondiphtheritic)
      • bronchial
    • Tracheitis(catarrhal) (infantile) (membranous) (plastic) (septal) (suppurative) (viral)
      • with
        • bronchitis (15 years of age and above)
          • under 15 years of age

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR RSP005
Acute bronchitis
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Bronchitis

    inflammation of the large airways in the lung including any part of the bronchi, from the primary bronchi to the tertiary bronchi.

  • Bronchitis, Chronic

    a subcategory of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. the disease is characterized by hypersecretion of mucus accompanied by a chronic (more than 3 months in 2 consecutive years) productive cough. infectious agents are a major cause of chronic bronchitis.

  • Infectious bronchitis virus

    a species of coronavirus causing infections in chickens and possibly pheasants. chicks up to four weeks old are the most severely affected.

  • Coronavirus

    a member of coronaviridae which causes respiratory or gastrointestinal disease in a variety of vertebrates.

  • Acute Bronchitis

    acute inflammation and edema of the larger bronchi caused by viruses or bacteria. signs and symptoms include cough, sputum production, shortness of breath, and wheezing.

  • Bronchospasm

    sudden contraction of the smooth muscles of the bronchial wall.

  • Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Bronchospasm|Bronchospasm

    a disorder characterized by a sudden contraction of the smooth muscles of the bronchial wall.

  • Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm|Exercise induced bronchospasm

    sudden contraction of the smooth muscles of the bronchial wall that occurs during or following exercise.

  • Grade 1 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 1 Bronchospasm

    mild symptoms; intervention not indicated

  • Grade 2 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 2 Bronchospasm

    symptomatic; medical intervention indicated; limiting instrumental adl

  • Grade 3 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 3 Bronchospasm

    limiting self care adl; supplemental oxygen indicated

  • Grade 4 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 4 Bronchospasm

    life-threatening respiratory or hemodynamic compromise; intubation or urgent intervention indicated

  • Grade 5 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 5 Bronchospasm

    death

  • Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Bronchospasm|Bronchospasm

    a disorder characterized by a sudden contraction of the smooth muscles of the bronchial wall or narrowing of the airway. may be manifested as wheezing.

  • Grade 2 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 2 Bronchospasm

    symptomatic; medical intervention indicated; limiting instrumental adl or mild/moderate impact on age-appropriate normal daily activity (pediatric)

  • Grade 3 Bronchospasm, CTCAE|Grade 3 Bronchospasm

    supplemental oxygen indicated; limiting self-care adl or severe impact on age-appropriate normal daily activity (pediatric)

Patient EducationClinical

Acute Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J20.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
466.0 Acute bronchitis
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 J20.9Overview

Is J20.9 (Acute bronchitis) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does J20.9 group to?

When acute bronchitis, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 202, 203, with relative weights from 0.6700 to 0.9712 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J20.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, acute bronchitis, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 466.0 (acute bronchitis). 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.