AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS - 2019 Issue 1; Ask the Editor

Pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema

A patient with emphysema presents due to COPD and pneumonia. Per Coding Clinic Fourth Quarter 2017, COPD in a patient with emphysema is reported with code J43.9, Emphysema, unspecified.  However, there is an Excludes1 note found at category J44, Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which prohibits the reporting of code J44.0, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection, with code J43.9. Should we report an additional code to capture the pneumonia along with code J43.9? Or should code J44.0 be reported to capture the COPD with pneumonia? What is the appropriate code assignment for COPD and pneumonia in a patient with emphysema? ...

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