2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J44Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J40-J4B›J44

ICD-10-CM J44
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

J44 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as J44.0, J44.1, J44.81, and J44.89.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J44
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Short Description
Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
J40-J4B
Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ40-J4BChronic lower respiratory diseases
CategoryJ44Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
This CodeJ44Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Specific Coding for Other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseOverview

Non-specific codes like J44 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use J44.0 for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) lower respiratory infection

  • Use J44.1 for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation

  • J44.8 for Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

  • Use J44.81 for Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome

  • Use J44.89 for Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

  • Use J44.9 for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to J44: its own notes plus those printed at block J40-J4B and Chapter 10. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

  • asthma with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • chronic asthmatic (obstructive) bronchitis
  • chronic bronchitis with airway obstruction
  • chronic bronchitis with emphysema
  • chronic emphysematous bronchitis
  • chronic obstructive asthma
  • chronic obstructive bronchitis
  • chronic obstructive tracheobronchitis

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From Block J40-J4B Chronic lower respiratory diseases applies to 40 codes
  • bronchitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (J68.0)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

On J44 itself
  • bronchiectasis (J47.-)
  • chronic bronchitis NOS (J42)
  • chronic simple and mucopurulent bronchitis (J41.-)
  • chronic tracheitis (J42)
  • chronic tracheobronchitis (J42)
  • emphysema without chronic bronchitis (J43.-)
From Block J40-J4B Chronic lower respiratory diseases applies to 40 codes
From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • 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 Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • 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)

Code Also

A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no sequencing direction.

  • type of asthma, if applicable (J45.-)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 10 (J00-J99) Diseases of the respiratory system applies to 366 codes
  • 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).

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name J44, its category, or a range that includes it.

Applicable To 1

These notes mention J44.

  • Z82.5 Family history of asthma and other chronic lower respiratory diseases
    Conditions classifiable to J40-J47 names J40-J47, which includes this code

Excludes1 3

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming J44: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • J42 Unspecified chronic bronchitis
    chronic asthmatic bronchitis (J44.-)
  • J42 Unspecified chronic bronchitis
    chronic bronchitis with airways obstruction (J44.-)
  • J42 Unspecified chronic bronchitis
    chronic emphysematous bronchitis (J44.-)

Excludes2 5

These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming J44: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.

  • J20 Acute bronchitis
    chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)
  • J20 Acute bronchitis
    chronic obstructive tracheobronchitis (J44.-)
  • J41 Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis
    chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)
  • J43 Emphysema
    emphysema with chronic (obstructive) bronchitis (J44.-)
  • J43 Emphysema
    emphysematous (obstructive) bronchitis (J44.-)

Code First 1

These codes say to code first a condition named in the note, and J44 is one of the conditions named.

  • I21.A1 Myocardial infarction type 2
    chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (J44.-)

Patient EducationClinical

COPD

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time.

The full article covers:

  • What is COPD?
  • What are the types of COPD?
  • What causes COPD?
  • Who is more likely to develop COPD?
  • What are the symptoms of COPD?
  • How is COPD diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for COPD?
  • Can COPD be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About J44Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

J44 is the ICD-10-CM category for other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is J44 (Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease need a more specific code from this category, such as J44.0, J44.1, and J44.81.

Can J44 be reported with J68.0?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block J40-J4B, which applies to J44, lists "bronchitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (J68.0)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).