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J41

Non-Billable (Header)

Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)

What This Code Means

J41 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis. J41 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the respiratory system (j00-j99), within the section covering chronic lower respiratory diseases (j40-j4a).

Header codes like J41 cannot be reported on claims directly — they organize child codes that share clinical context but the actual diagnosis must be coded to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation. Coders should look at J41's child codes and select the one that matches the patient's documented presentation, since payers reject header codes submitted as the primary diagnosis. For risk adjustment workflows, header codes never contribute to a Medicare Advantage member's RAF score on their own; only billable child codes that happen to map to a payment HCC affect risk-adjusted plan payments.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for J41 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Excludes 2 — Not included here, may code separately

  • chronic bronchitis NOS (J42)
  • chronic obstructive bronchitis (J44.-)

Use Additional Code

  • code to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

J41Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis
J41Simple and mucopurulent chronic bronchitis

More on J41

Referenced in blog posts

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