MCMedicalCodingSoftware
J38.01

J38.01: Paralysis of vocal cords and larynx, unilateral

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CM

J38.01 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for paralysis of vocal cords and larynx, unilateral. It is valid for submission on a claim.

Check J38.01 with the rest of the claim: free scrubber

Excludes1 inherited from the categories above J38.01

A category’s note binds every code beneath it.

Written on J38: Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified

  • congenital laryngeal stridor (P28.89)
  • obstructive laryngitis (acute) (J05.0)
  • postprocedural subglottic stenosis (J95.5)
  • stridor (R06.1)
  • ulcerative laryngitis (J04.0)

Risk adjustment

No CMS-HCC V28 category: this code does not change a RAF score.

Medicare coverage

J38.01 is named in 23 Medicare coverage policies: 23 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which one applies depends on your Medicare contractor.

  • A52866Billing and Coding: Speech-Language Pathology
  • A53052Billing and Coding: Home Health Speech-Language Pathology
  • A54095Billing and Coding: Nerve Conduction Studies and Electromyography
  • A54111Billing and Coding: Speech Language Pathology (SLP) Services: Communication Disorders

Alphabetic index entries that lead here

  • Laryngoplegia›unilateral
  • Gerhardt's›syndrome›unilateral
  • Paralysis, paralytic›glottis›unilateral
  • Paralysis, paralytic›laryngeal nerve›unilateral
  • Paralysis, paralytic›larynx›unilateral
  • Paralysis, paralytic›vocal cords›unilateral
  • Compression›laryngeal nerve, recurrent›with paralysis of vocal cords and larynx›unilateral

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.

Other codes under J38.0

ICD-10-CMFY2027· effective October 1, 2026

Loaded directly from the CMS/NCHS ICD-10-CM public-domain release: see data sources and our editorial policy. If this page disagrees with the CMS tabular list, this page is wrong. Reference information for professional coders; not medical or billing advice.