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J98.2

J98.2Interstitial emphysema

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CM

J98.2 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for interstitial emphysema. It is valid for submission on a claim.

Excludes1 — never code together

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

  • emphysema NOS (J43.9)
  • emphysema in newborn (P25.0)
  • surgical emphysema (subcutaneous) (T81.82)
  • traumatic subcutaneous emphysema (T79.7)

Inclusion terms

Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.

  • Mediastinal emphysema

Other codes that can never be billed with J98.2

These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at J98.2. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading J98.2 alone.

  • J43Emphysema
  • J84Other interstitial pulmonary diseases

Risk adjustment

J98.2 risk-adjusts. Under the CMS-HCC V28 model it maps to this category:

  • HCC 280 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Interstitial Lung Disorders, and Other Chronic Lung Disorders0.319 RAF

Coefficient shown for the Community Non-dual Aged segment. A higher HCC in the same hierarchy will suppress this one, so capturing it does not always add score.

Medicare coverage

J98.2 is named in 6 Medicare coverage policies 6 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which of them applies to you depends on your Medicare contractor, and coverage genuinely differs by state.

  • A56580Billing and Coding: Computerized Axial Tomography (CT), Thorax
  • A56717Billing and Coding: Respiratory Therapy (Respiratory Care)
  • A56730Billing and Coding: Respiratory Therapy and Oximetry Services
  • A57205Billing and Coding: Oximetry Services

How J98.2 is indexed

Coders do not find codes by browsing the tabular list — they look them up in the alphabetic index, under the word the physician wrote. These are the index entries that lead here, so you can see which chart wordings map to J98.2.

  • Pneumomediastinum
  • Airanterior mediastinum
  • Disease, diseasedHamman's(spontaneous mediastinal emphysema)
  • Emphysemainterstitial
  • Emphysemamediastinal
  • Emphysemasubcutaneousnontraumatic

Related codes at this level

Codes that share J98. If J98.2 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about J98.2

Is J98.2 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
Yes. J98.2 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
Where does J98.2 sit in the tabular list?
Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99), in the block Other diseases of the respiratory system (J96-J99).
What cannot be coded together with J98.2?
J98.2 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.
ICD-10-CMFY2026-Apr· effective April 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.