J22 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified acute lower respiratory infection
J22 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC coding software
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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99) / Other acute lower respiratory infections (J20-J22)
J22
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceUnspecified acute lower respiratory infection
An acute infection of the lower respiratory tract (lungs and airways) that cannot be classified as a more specific condition like pneumonia or bronchitis.
CMS-HCC V28
N/A—
Not mapped
CMS-HCC V24
HistoricalHistorical
Not used for CY2026 payment
ACA/HHS
N/A—
Not mapped
ESRD/PACE
N/A—
Not mapped
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
Official- Acute (lower) respiratory (tract) infection NOS
Excludes 2
Official- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- smoke inhalation (T59.81-)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory infection (J44.0)Inherited from J00-J99, J20-J22
Related Codes
No related codes are included in this display for J22. Check the Code Book for the complete code path.
Includes
OfficialNo Includes notes are included in this display for J22. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 1
Official- upper respiratory infection (acute) (J06.9)
Code First
OfficialNo Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for J22. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Use Additional
Official- code, where applicable, to identify:Inherited from J00-J99
- exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)Inherited from J00-J99
- exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81)Inherited from J00-J99
- history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)Inherited from J00-J99
- occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)Inherited from J00-J99
- tobacco dependence (F17.-)Inherited from J00-J99
- tobacco use (Z72.0)Inherited from J00-J99
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for J22. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Buddy Documentation Tip
Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →
Is J22 an HCC code?
No. J22 is a billable ICD-10-CM code with no mapping under the current CMS-HCC V28 community payment model, and none under the ESRD, Part D RxHCC, or HHS-HCC models.
- Code
- J22
- Description
- Unspecified acute lower respiratory infection
- HCC (V28)
- No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
- RAF reference coefficient
- —
- Billable
- Yes
- Payment year
- 2026
Coder workflow notes
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What This Code Means
J22 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified acute lower respiratory infection. An acute infection of the lower respiratory tract (lungs and airways) that cannot be classified as a more specific condition like pneumonia or bronchitis. J22 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the respiratory system (j00-j99), within the section covering other acute lower respiratory infections (j20-j22).
J22 is a billable ICD-10-CM code, but no current CMS-HCC V28 community payment mapping is shown, and none under the ESRD, Part D RxHCC, or HHS-HCC models. Do not assign risk adjustment value from this page when no source-backed mapping is shown; verify the applicable model and payment year.
This is a catch-all code for acute lower respiratory infections; use only when a more specific diagnosis cannot be determined.
HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for J22 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •This is a catch-all code for acute lower respiratory infections; use only when a more specific diagnosis cannot be determined
- •Review documentation to see if the condition can be more specifically classified as bronchitis, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia
Excludes 1, Do NOT code together
- upper respiratory infection (acute) (J06.9)