2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J96.90Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J96-J99›J96

ICD-10-CM J96.90
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J96.90 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 928 through 929. Coders also document this condition as absence of spontaneous respiration. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Respiratory failure; insufficiency; arrest.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J96.90
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia
Short Description
Respiratory failure, unsp, unsp w hypoxia or hypercapnia
Parent Code
J96.9
Respiratory failure, unspecified

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ96-J99Other diseases of the respiratory system
CategoryJ96Respiratory failure, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ96.90Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Absence of spontaneous respiration
  • Congenital muscular dystrophy, respiratory failure, skin abnormalities, joint hyperlaxity syndrome
  • Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure
  • Proximal myopathy
  • Respiratory failure
  • Respiratory failure following trauma
  • Sleep-related respiratory failure

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.

    • Failure, failed
      • respiration, respiratory

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR RSP012
Respiratory failure; insufficiency; arrest
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Respiratory Failure

Respiratory failure is a condition in which your blood doesn't have enough oxygen or has too much carbon dioxide. Sometimes you can have both problems.

The full article covers:

  • What is respiratory failure?
  • What causes respiratory failure?
  • What are the symptoms of respiratory failure?
  • How is respiratory failure diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for respiratory failure?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J96.90 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
518.81 Acute respiratry failure
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 J96.90Overview

Is J96.90 (Respiratory failure, unspecified) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does J96.90 group to?

When respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 928, 929, with relative weights from 3.2208 to 7.1727 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J96.90?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia converts to ICD-9-CM 518.81 (acute respiratry failure). 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.