2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J68.0Bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J60-J70›J68

ICD-10-CM J68.0
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J68.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 205 through 206. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Lung disease due to external agents.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J68.0
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors
Short Description
Bronchitis & pneumonitis d/t chemicals, gas, fumes & vapors
Parent Code
J68
Respiratory conditions due to inhalation of chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ60-J70Lung diseases due to external agents
CategoryJ68Respiratory conditions due to inhalation of chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors
This CodeJ68.0Bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute bronchiolitis
  • Acute bronchiolitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Acute bronchitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Acute chemical bronchitis
  • Acute pneumonitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Acute pulmonary alveolitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Bronchitis and pneumonitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Bronchitis caused by chemical
  • Bronchitis caused by chemical fumes
  • Bronchitis caused by vapor
  • Cadmium pneumonitis
  • Manganese pneumonitis
  • Pneumonitis caused by fumes
  • Pneumonitis caused by inhaled substance
  • Pneumonitis caused by vapor
  • Pneumonopathy due to inhalation of dust
  • Respiratory condition caused by vapor

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Chemical bronchitis (acute)

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.

    • Bronchiolitis(acute) (infective) (subacute)
      • chemical (chronic)
        • acute
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • acute or subacute (with bronchospasm or obstruction)
        • chemical (due to gases, fumes or vapors)
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • acute or subacute (with bronchospasm or obstruction)
        • due to
          • fumes or vapors
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • chemical (acute) (subacute)
    • Bronchitis(diffuse) (fibrinous) (hypostatic) (infective) (membranous)
      • due to gases, fumes or vapors (chemical)
    • Disease, diseased
      • silo-filler's
        • bronchitis
    • Disease, diseased
      • silo-filler's
        • pneumonitis
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • broncho-, bronchial (confluent) (croupous) (diffuse) (disseminated) (hemorrhagic) (involving lobes) (lobar) (terminal)
        • inhalation
          • due to fumes or vapors (chemical)
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • in (due to)
        • fumes and vapors (chemical) (inhalation)
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • nitrogen dioxide
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • aspiration
        • due to
          • fumes or gases
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • chemical (due to gases, fumes or vapors) (inhalation)
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • crack (cocaine)
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • beryllium
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • cadmium
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • crack (cocaine)
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • fluorocarbon-polymer
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • fumes or vapors
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • gases, fumes or vapors (inhalation)
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • manganese
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • nitrogen dioxide
    • Pneumonitis(acute) (primary)
      • due to
        • vanadium
    • Silo-fillers' disease
      • bronchitis
    • Silo-fillers' disease
      • pneumonitis

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR RSP013
Lung disease due to external agents
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Acute Bronchiolitis

    acute inflammation of the bronchioles usually caused by the respiratory syncytial virus.

Patient EducationClinical

Interstitial Lung Diseases

Interstitial lung disease is the name for a large group of diseases that inflame or scar the lungs. The inflammation and scarring make it hard to get enough oxygen. The scarring is called pulmonary fibrosis.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J68.0 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
506.0 Fum/vapor bronc/pneumon
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

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 J68.0Overview

Is J68.0 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does J68.0 group to?

When bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 205, 206, with relative weights from 0.9411 to 1.8310 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J68.0?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, bronchitis and pneumonitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors converts to ICD-9-CM 506.0 (fum/vapor bronc/pneumon). The mapping is a direct match.

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.