I participate each week in a training exercise at work. In one chart, the physician documented chronic asthmatic bronchitis and bronchiectasis.

I coded J44.9 for the chronic asthmatic bronchitis, and didn’t code J47.9 due to the excludes 1 note under J44. I was told that I should have coded J47.9 for bronchiectasis because the excludes 1 tells me to code J47.- instead of J44.-.

Does that sound right? If that’s the case, then I’ve been reading the excludes 1 notes all wrong.

Am I wrong in thinking that the excludes 1 note is under the more specific J44.- instead of J47.-? If J47 is more specific than J44, then shouldn’t the excludes 1 note be under J47.-?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,
Angie Hall, CPC, CRC