2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J93.12Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J90-J94›J93

ICD-10-CM J93.12
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

J93.12 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 199 through 201. 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 18 closely related codes. The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor. Coders also document this condition as spontaneous pneumothorax. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pneumothorax.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J93.12
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax
Short Description
Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J93.1
Other spontaneous pneumothorax

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ90-J94Other diseases of the pleura
CategoryJ93Pneumothorax and air leak
This CodeJ93.12Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for J93.12.

Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Spontaneous pneumothorax
  • Spontaneous pneumothorax due to infection caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii
  • Spontaneous pneumothorax due to respiratory disease

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to J93.12: its own notes plus those printed at J93 and Chapter 10. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

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

From J93 Pneumothorax and air leak applies to 7 codes
  • congenital or perinatal pneumothorax (P25.1)
  • postprocedural air leak (J95.812)
  • postprocedural pneumothorax (J95.811)
  • traumatic pneumothorax (S27.0)
  • tuberculous (current disease) pneumothorax (A15.-)
  • pyopneumothorax (J86.-)

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)

Code First

The underlying condition named in the note is sequenced before this code.

  • underlying condition, such as:
  • catamenial pneumothorax due to endometriosis (N80.B-)
  • cystic fibrosis (E84.-)
  • eosinophilic pneumonia (J82.81-J82.82)
  • lymphangioleiomyomatosis (J84.81)
  • malignant neoplasm of bronchus and lung (C34.-)
  • Marfan syndrome (Q87.4-)
  • pneumonia due to Pneumocystis carinii (B59)
  • secondary malignant neoplasm of lung (C78.0-)
  • spontaneous rupture of the esophagus (K22.3)

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 J93.12, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming J93.12: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • S27.0 Traumatic pneumothorax
    spontaneous pneumothorax (J93.-) names J93.-, which includes this code

Code Also 1

These codes say J93.12 may also be needed to fully describe the condition. The note gives no sequencing direction.

  • N80.B Endometriosis of cardiothoracic space
    catamenial pneumothorax (J93.12)

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 RSP014
Pneumothorax
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes

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 J93.12 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
512.82 Sec spont pneumothorax
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About J93.12Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax?

The ICD-10-CM code for secondary spontaneous pneumothorax is J93.12 (sometimes written as J9312). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is J93.12 (Other spontaneous pneumothorax) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report secondary spontaneous pneumothorax on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does J93.12 group to?

On inpatient claims, secondary spontaneous pneumothorax maps to MS-DRG 201, 199, 200, with relative weights from 0.6782 to 1.7314 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is J93.12 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists J93.12 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 18 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can J93.12 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because secondary spontaneous pneumothorax describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.