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J86

J86: Pyothorax

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

J86 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for pyothorax. It cannot be billed on its own: choose one of the more specific child codes below.

Excludes1: never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

  • abscess of lung (J85.-)
  • pyothorax due to tuberculosis (A15.6)

Use additional code

Add a secondary code to capture the detail described below.

  • code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.

Other codes that can never be billed with J86

Their own Excludes1 notes name this code, so the conflict is not listed above.

  • J93Pneumothorax and air leak

Risk adjustment

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

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.

Code to one of these instead J86

2 child codes. Green means billable.

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.