J02
ICD-10Non-billable categoryAcute pharyngitis
Official ICD-10-CM descriptor (FY2026)
Acute pharyngitis
J02 is a category heading, not a billable code. CMS does not accept it on a claim; report one of the more specific codes beneath it.
Includes
- acute sore throat
Excludes1
Not coded here. An Excludes1 code should never be reported at the same time as the code above it.
- acute laryngopharyngitis (J06.0)
- peritonsillar abscess (J36)
- pharyngeal abscess (J39.1)
- retropharyngeal abscess (J39.0)
Excludes2
Not included here. The condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, and both codes may be reported together.
- chronic pharyngitis (J31.2)
More specific codes under J02
Where this code sits
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ICD-10-CM FY2026. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) / National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), “2026 ICD-10-CM Code Descriptions in Tabular Order” (icd10cm_order_2026.txt). Download the original file from cms.gov. Public domain (US Government work). Descriptors, billable flags and instructional notes on this page are reproduced from that file without modification. Krasyn adds no clinical guidance.