ICD10BillableValid for clinical use
ICD-10 Code J44.81: Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 26 May 2026
What is this code?
ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99).
đź“‹Clinical overview
This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes obstructive airway disease such as COPD or asthma. The most accurate code depends on whether the record identifies COPD, asthma severity or persistence, acute exacerbation, or status asthmaticus.
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code can be used as a clinically usable diagnosis entry in standardized coding workflows.
What it does not mean
- A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
- A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.
đź©şClinical context
When commonly used
- Primary care, pulmonary, emergency, and inpatient documentation where wheezing, airflow obstruction, COPD management, or asthma control is part of the active encounter.
- Chronic-disease follow-up, utilization review, and discharge workflows where exacerbation status, severity, or persistent-control detail affects the final code choice.
Common workup
- Common related testing on this page includes Spirometry, Arterial blood gas.
- Related procedures or service context already linked on this page include Nebulizer treatment, Pulmonary rehabilitation.
Common management context
- COPD and asthma follow-up often includes symptom review, inhaler or nebulizer medication reconciliation, trigger assessment, pulmonary testing context, and monitoring for flare-ups or exacerbations.
- Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart identifies acute exacerbation, persistent asthma severity, status asthmaticus, smoking exposure, or chronic bronchitis/emphysema context.
- Specialist context already linked on this page includes Pulmonologist, General Physician.
🔍Key distinctions
Important notes
- COPD and asthma coding is often driven by whether the chart documents stable disease, acute exacerbation, severity, persistence, or status asthmaticus.
- Related respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, acute bronchitis, tobacco exposure, or oxygen dependence may affect the overall clinical picture but can still require separate coding.
Related codes to consider
J44.89Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Related obstructive-airway ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies COPD, asthma severity, acute exacerbation, or status asthmaticus.
Code hierarchy
chapter
10Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99)
block
J40-J4AChronic lower respiratory diseases
category
J44Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
category
J44.8Other specified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
currentJ44.8
Official coding notes
Inclusion terms
- Obliterative bronchiolitis
Applicable to
- , if applicable:
- complication of bone marrow transplant (T86.09)
- complication of stem cell transplant (T86.5)
- heart-lung transplant rejection (T86.31)
- lung transplant rejection (T86.810)
- other complications of heart-lung transplant (T86.39)
- other complications of lung transplant (T86.818)
Code first
- , if applicable:
- complication of bone marrow transplant (T86.09)
- complication of stem cell transplant (T86.5)
- heart-lung transplant rejection (T86.31)
- lung transplant rejection (T86.810)
- other complications of heart-lung transplant (T86.39)
- other complications of lung transplant (T86.818)
Code also
- , if applicable, associated conditions, such as:
- chronic graft-versus-host disease (D89.811)
- chronic lung allograft dysfunction (J4A.-)
- chronic respiratory conditions due to chemicals, gases, fumes and vapors (J68.4)
Where you may see this code
You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records.
Related specialists
PulmonologistGeneral Physician
Related tests
Spirometry
Commonly used to assess airflow limitation in COPD evaluation and follow-up.
Arterial blood gas
May be relevant in selected COPD cases when oxygenation or ventilation is being assessed.
Related procedures
Nebulizer treatment
May appear in symptomatic COPD care pathways.
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Commonly part of longer-term COPD management pathways.
Coverage-related procedures and services
CPT 87801high
INFECTIOUS AGENT DETECTION BY NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA), MULTIPLE ORGANISMS; AMPLIFIED PROBE(S) TECHNIQUE
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 87633high
INFECTIOUS AGENT DETECTION BY NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA); RESPIRATORY VIRUS (EG, ADENOVIRUS, INFLUENZA VIRUS, CORONAVIRUS, METAPNEUMOVIRUS, PARAINFLUENZA VIRUS, RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS, RHINOVIRUS), INCLUDES MULTIPLEX REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION, WHEN PERFORMED, AND MULTIPLEX AMPLIFIED PROBE TECHNIQUE, MULTIPLE TYPES OR SUBTYPES, 12-25 TARGETS
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 87632high
INFECTIOUS AGENT DETECTION BY NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA); RESPIRATORY VIRUS (EG, ADENOVIRUS, INFLUENZA VIRUS, CORONAVIRUS, METAPNEUMOVIRUS, PARAINFLUENZA VIRUS, RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS, RHINOVIRUS), INCLUDES MULTIPLEX REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION, WHEN PERFORMED, AND MULTIPLEX AMPLIFIED PROBE TECHNIQUE, MULTIPLE TYPES OR SUBTYPES, 6-11 TARGETS
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 0564Uhigh
INFECTIOUS DISEASE (BACTERIAL AND/OR VIRAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION), PATHOGEN-SPECIFIC NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA), 10 VIRAL TARGETS AND 4 BACTERIAL TARGETS, QUALITATIVE RT-PCR, UPPER RESPIRATORY SPECIMEN, EACH PATHOGEN REPORTED AS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 0563Uhigh
INFECTIOUS DISEASE (BACTERIAL AND/OR VIRAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION), PATHOGEN-SPECIFIC NUCLEIC ACID (DNA OR RNA), 11 VIRAL TARGETS AND 4 BACTERIAL TARGETS, QUALITATIVE RT-PCR, UPPER RESPIRATORY SPECIMEN, EACH PATHOGEN REPORTED AS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
Source: CMS coverage guidance
CPT 0225Uhigh
INFECTIOUS DISEASE (BACTERIAL OR VIRAL RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION) PATHOGEN-SPECIFIC DNA AND RNA, 21 TARGETS, INCLUDING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONAVIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2), AMPLIFIED PROBE TECHNIQUE, INCLUDING MULTIPLEX REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION FOR RNA TARGETS, EACH ANALYTE REPORTED AS DETECTED OR NOT DETECTED
Source: CMS coverage guidance
Coding guidelines
Common synonyms
Bronchiolitis obliterans and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome
Frequently asked questions
About this content
This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.