COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a group of lung diseases that make it difficult to breathe. In medical coding, COPD is classified under the following ICD-10 codes:
- J44.0 – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection
- J44.1 – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation
- J44.9 – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified
- J43.9 – Emphysema, unspecified
- J42 – Unspecified chronic bronchitis
- J41.0 – Simple chronic bronchitis
- J41.1 – Mucopurulent chronic bronchitis
- J41.8 – Other specified chronic bronchitis
When coding COPD, it’s important to be specific about the type of COPD present, whether it’s chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or a combination of both. Additionally, if there is an acute exacerbation or acute lower respiratory infection present, it should be noted in the coding as well.
It’s also important to note that if a patient has a history of smoking, this should be included in the documentation and coding as it may affect the treatment plan and potential reimbursement for the provider.