2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J68.9Unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J60-J70›J68

ICD-10-CM J68.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J68.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified respiratory condition 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 190 through 192. Coders also document this condition as respiratory condition caused by chemical fumes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Lung disease due to external agents.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J68.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors
Short Description
Unsp resp cond due to chemicals, gases, fumes and 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 CodeJ68.9Unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Respiratory condition caused by chemical fumes
  • Respiratory condition caused by chemical fumes and vapor
  • Respiratory condition caused by vapor
  • Spelters' fever
  • Toxic inhalation-induced febrile illness

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.

    • Disease, diseased
      • respiratory (tract)
        • due to
          • chemicals, gases, fumes or vapors
    • Inhalation
      • smoke
        • with respiratory conditions
          • due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors
    • Meat-wrappers' asthma
    • Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive
      • airway
        • due to
          • inhalation of fumes or vapors
    • Pneumoconiosis(due to) (inhalation of)
      • fumes or vapors (from silo)

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

Patient EducationClinical

Inhalation Injuries

Inhalation injuries are acute injuries to your respiratory system and lungs. They can happen if you breathe in toxic substances, such as smoke (from fires), chemicals, particle pollution, and gases. Inhalation injuries can also be caused by extreme heat; these are a type of thermal injuries.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J68.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
506.9 Fum/vapor resp cond NOS
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 J68.9Overview

Is J68.9 a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does J68.9 group to?

When unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 190, 191, 192, with relative weights from 0.6420 to 1.1077 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

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

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified respiratory condition due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors converts to ICD-9-CM 506.9 (fum/vapor resp cond NOS). 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.