J44.1BillableCCHCC 280

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation

Diseases of the Respiratory System·Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease·subcategory·FY 2027

COPD: COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe and get worse over time. Normally, the airways and air sacs in your lungs are elastic or stretchy. When you breathe in, the airways bring air to the air sacs. The air sacs fill up with air, like a small balloon. When you breathe out, the air sacs deflate, and the air goes out. If you have COPD, less air flows in and out of your airways because of one or more problems:

Read more about copd on MedlinePlus · Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

Also indexed as: Asthma, with, chronic obstructive bronchitis, with, exacerbation; Asthma, with, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with, exacerbation; Asthma, chronic obstructive, with, exacerbation; Bronchitis, asthmatic, chronic, with, exacerbation; Disease, lung, obstructive, with, acute, exacerbation NEC; Disease, lung, obstructive, with, bronchitis, with, exacerbation; Disease, lung, obstructive, decompensated; Disease, lung, obstructive, decompensated, with, exacerbation; Disease, pulmonary, chronic obstructive, with, exacerbation; Disease, pulmonary, chronic obstructive, decompensated; Disease, pulmonary, chronic obstructive, decompensated, with, exacerbation

Instructional notes

Includes: conditions that are coded here

  • Decompensated COPD
  • Decompensated COPD with (acute) exacerbation

Excludes2: not included here, code separately if applicable

  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] with acute bronchitis (J44.0)
  • lung diseases due to external agents (J60-J70)

Also applies, from J44: Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

These notes sit on J44 and apply to every code under it, including J44.1.

Includes: conditions that are coded here

  • asthma with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • chronic asthmatic (obstructive) bronchitis
  • chronic bronchitis with airway obstruction
  • chronic bronchitis with emphysema
  • chronic emphysematous bronchitis
  • chronic obstructive asthma
  • chronic obstructive bronchitis
  • chronic obstructive tracheobronchitis

Excludes2: not included here, code separately if applicable

  • bronchiectasis (J47.-)
  • chronic bronchitis NOS (J42)
  • chronic simple and mucopurulent bronchitis (J41.-)
  • chronic tracheitis (J42)
  • chronic tracheobronchitis (J42)
  • emphysema without chronic bronchitis (J43.-)

Code also: add a code for this too, order depends on the encounter

  • type of asthma, if applicable (J45.-)

Also applies, from Chronic lower respiratory diseases (J40-J4B)

These notes sit on J40-J4B and apply to every code under it, including J44.1.

Excludes1: not coded here, use a different code

  • bronchitis due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (J68.0)

Excludes2: not included here, code separately if applicable

  • cystic fibrosis (E84.-)

Where J44.1 sits

MS-DRGs

As the principal diagnosis, this code groups to these MS-DRGs (v44.0). Which one applies depends on procedures performed, secondary diagnoses (CC/MCC), and the patient's age and discharge status.

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Legacy crosswalk from the CMS General Equivalence Mappings (last updated 2018).

  • 491.21 Obstructive chronic bronchitis with (acute) exacerbation (approximate)
  • 493.22 Chronic obstructive asthma with (acute) exacerbation (approximate)
ICD-9 to ICD-10 converter