ICD-10 Guide

Bronchopneumonia

ICD-10 Coding for Bronchopneumonia(J18.0, J13)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYPulmonology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Bronchopneumonia?

Essential facts and insights about Bronchopneumonia

Key Clinical Considerations:

Cough, fever, and difficulty breathing
Chest X-ray showing patchy infiltrates
Crackles or wheezing on auscultation

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history and physical exam findings
Specific terms like 'bronchopneumonia' or 'pneumonic consolidation'
Examples: 'Patient presents with cough and fever consistent with bronchopneumonia.'

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Follow guidelines for pneumonia coding; avoid using unspecified codes when possible.
Common errors include misclassifying pneumonia type or omitting relevant clinical details.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Aspiration pneumonia, viral pneumonia
Codes for other types of pneumonia like J20.x

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Pulmonology

Specialty Applications

Adults and children with respiratory symptoms
Inpatient and outpatient settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include clinical findings, imaging results, and treatment plans.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding to reflect severity and treatment provided.

Bronchopneumonia

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Bronchopneumonia

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?