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J96.90 — Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia
J96.90
What this code means
Respiratory failure means the lungs cannot maintain normal oxygen and carbon dioxide levels; type and cause unspecified here.
Also called: respiratory failure.
When this code is used
Used for respiratory failure, unspecified, whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia not specified.
Where it sits in ICD-10-CM
Code J96.90 belongs to Chapter 10: Diseases of the respiratory system, which covers codes J00–J99 in the FY2027 ICD-10-CM tabular list. The official description above is copied verbatim from the CDC/NCHS FY2027 code file.
Related symptoms
Related anatomy
Frequently asked questions
What is ICD-10-CM code J96.90?
J96.90 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for “Respiratory failure, unspecified, unspecified whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia”. Respiratory failure means the lungs cannot maintain normal oxygen and carbon dioxide levels; type and cause unspecified here.
When is code J96.90 used?
Used for respiratory failure, unspecified, whether with hypoxia or hypercapnia not specified. It belongs to Chapter 10 of ICD-10-CM (Diseases of the respiratory system).
This guide explains ICD-10-CM codes in plain language for patients, students and other readers. It is educational information only — not coding, billing or medical advice. The code recorded for any real encounter is assigned from the full clinical documentation by the treating team and qualified coders, and only they can decide which code fits a specific case.