2025 ICD-10-CM code J42
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Diseases of the respiratory system - Chronic lower respiratory diseases Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) Feed
Unspecified chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis NOS. Chronic tracheitis. Chronic tracheobronchitis.
Medical necessity for J42 is established by the presence of chronic cough and sputum production, along with the exclusion of other respiratory conditions through appropriate diagnostic testing and clinical evaluation.The documentation must support the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis.
The clinician is responsible for documenting the patient's symptoms, physical exam findings, and any diagnostic tests performed to support the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis. They should also assess and document the patient's tobacco use history and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
In simple words: This code represents a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, where the specific type is not specified. It includes conditions like chronic tracheitis and chronic tracheobronchitis.It's important to also document any tobacco use or exposure.
Unspecified chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis NOS. Chronic tracheitis. Chronic tracheobronchitis. Use additional code 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). Excludes1: bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (J44.81), chronic asthmatic bronchitis (J44.-), chronic bronchitis with airways obstruction (J44.-), chronic emphysematous bronchitis (J44.-), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease NOS (J44.9), simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis (J41.-).
Example 1: A 55-year-old male with a long history of smoking presents with a chronic cough, producing mucus, most days of the week for several months. He does not have any other identifiable cause for his cough, and the physician diagnoses him with unspecified chronic bronchitis (J42) and tobacco dependence (F17.-)., A 60-year-old female with a history of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke presents with a persistent cough and shortness of breath. Diagnostic testing rules out other respiratory conditions, and she is diagnosed with unspecified chronic bronchitis (J42) and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)., A 45-year-old male presents with a chronic productive cough and recurrent respiratory infections.After a thorough evaluation, including pulmonary function tests and imaging, other conditions are excluded, and the physician diagnoses him with unspecified chronic bronchitis (J42).
Documentation should include the type and duration of the cough, presence and character of sputum production, history of tobacco use or exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and results of any diagnostic testing performed, such as pulmonary function tests or chest x-rays. If there are associated conditions or contributing factors, these should also be documented.
** It is crucial to differentiate J42 (Unspecified chronic bronchitis) from other, more specific types of chronic bronchitis, such as simple chronic bronchitis (J41.0), mucopurulent chronic bronchitis (J41.1), or chronic bronchitis with acute exacerbation (J41.8). Accurate coding depends on detailed clinical documentation.
- Specialties:Pulmonology, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine
- Place of Service:Office, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Federally Qualified Health Center, Rural Health Clinic