J02.9Acute pharyngitis, unspecified

J02.9 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for acute pharyngitis, unspecified. It belongs to category J02 (acute pharyngitis), block J00-J06 (acute upper respiratory infections) and chapter 10 (diseases of the respiratory system). It is billable, so it can be reported on its own for dates of service from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Within J02, choose J02.9 (unspecified) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: streptococcal pharyngitis (J02.0) and due to other specified organisms (J02.8).

Don't report J02.9 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: influenza virus with other respiratory manifestations (J09.X2, J10.1, J11.1).

It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 011 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with MCC, relative weight 5.6154), DRG 012 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with CC, relative weight 4.381), DRG 013 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy without CC/MCC, relative weight 2.7307), DRG 152 (Otitis Media and URI with MCC, relative weight 1.1151) and DRG 153 (Otitis Media and URI without MCC, relative weight 0.7421), in Pre-MDC and MDC 03 (Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

Before ICD-10, this condition was coded in ICD-9-CM as 462 (acute pharyngitis).