Brief

Based on recently-released Coding Clinic guidance and clarification, you should assign J43.9 (Emphysema, unspecified), not J44.9 (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, unspecified), for a patient whose diagnosis is documented as emphysema with the generic term COPD. But for a patient whose diagnosis is emphysema along with other specific components of COPD, such as chronic obstructive bronchitis or chronic obstructive asthma, the correct code will be from J44.-.