2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J90Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J90-J94›J90

ICD-10-CM J90
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

J90 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 186 through 188, 791, 793. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 29 closely related codes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pleurisy, pleural effusion and pulmonary collapse.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J90
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified
Short Description
Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
J90-J94
Other diseases of the pleura

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ90-J94Other diseases of the pleura
CategoryJ90Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ90Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bilateral pleural effusion
  • Encysted pleurisy
  • Exudate pleural fluid
  • Exudative pleural effusion
  • Exudative pleurisy
  • Fibrinous pleurisy
  • Hemorrhagic pleural effusion
  • Hemothorax
  • Hydrothorax
  • Left pleural effusion
  • Loculated pleural effusion
  • Pleural effusion
  • Pleural fluid type determination
  • Pleurisy with effusion
  • Pneumococcal pleurisy
  • Right pleural effusion
  • Serofibrinous pleurisy
  • Serous pleurisy
  • Streptococcal pleurisy

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to J90: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 10. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Encysted pleurisy
  • Pleural effusion NOS
  • Pleurisy with effusion (exudative) (serous)

Excludes1

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

  • chylous (pleural) effusion (J94.0)
  • malignant pleural effusion (J91.0))
  • pleurisy NOS (R09.1)
  • tuberculous pleural effusion (A15.6)

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.

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)

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 J90, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming J90: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • R09.1 Pleurisy
    pleurisy with effusion (J90)

Code Also 1

These codes say J90 may also be needed to fully describe the condition. The note gives no sequencing direction.

  • I27.23 Pulmonary hypertension due to lung diseases and hypoxia
    pleural effusion (J90)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR RSP011
Pleurisy, pleural effusion and pulmonary collapse
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Pleural Effusion

    presence of fluid in the pleural cavity resulting from excessive transudation or exudation from the pleural surfaces. it is a sign of disease and not a diagnosis in itself.

Patient EducationClinical

Pleural Disorders

Your pleura is a large, thin sheet of tissue that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity. Between the layers of the pleura is a very thin space. Normally it's filled with a small amount of fluid.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J90 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
511.1 Bact pleur/effus not TB
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
511.89 Effusion NEC exc tb
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About J90Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified?

The ICD-10-CM code for pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified is J90. It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is J90 (Pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does J90 group to?

When pleural effusion, not elsewhere classified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 793, 791, 186, 187, 188, with relative weights from 0.6651 to 4.2192 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is J90 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists J90 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 29 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can J90 be reported with J94.0?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on J90 lists "chylous (pleural) effusion (J94.0)". 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).