ICDcodes.org
FY2027

A41.9 — Sepsis, unspecified organism

BillableUnspecifiedMCC

Is A41.9 billable?

Yes, but A41.9 is an unspecified code. A41.9 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, A41.9 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting A41.9 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.

A41.9 at a glance

CodeA41.9
DescriptionSepsis, unspecified organism
BillableYes
Code setICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encountersOctober 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

Which MS-DRGs does A41.9 group to?

A41.9 sits in MDC 15 and helps define the logic of 1 MS-DRG (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.

  • 791Prematurity with Major Problemsmedical

As a secondary diagnosis, A41.9 is a major complication or comorbidity (MCC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.

How is A41.9 listed in the Alphabetic Index?

These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to A41.9. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.

  • Sepsis (generalized) (unspecified organism)
  • Septicemia
  • Sepsis › cryptogenic (generalized) (unspecified organism)
  • Sepsis › gangrenous (generalized) (unspecified organism)
  • Disorder › tubulo-interstitial › sepsis (of)
  • Glomerulonephritis › in › sepsis
  • Pyelonephritis › in › sepsis

Inclusion terms

Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to A41.9.

  • Septicemia NOS

Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from A41

The conditions below can never be reported together with A41.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

Code first — inherited from A41

The underlying condition below must be sequenced before A41.9. A41.9 describes a manifestation and cannot be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.

Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 1

Report an additional code alongside A41.9 to fully describe the condition. A41.9 is sequenced first.

  • code to identify resistance to antimicrobial drugs (Z16.-)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 1

The conditions below are not part of A41.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, A41.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
  • certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
  • infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
  • infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
  • influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from A41

The conditions below are not part of A41.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, A41.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • sepsis (due to) (in) actinomycotic (A42.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) anthrax (A22.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) candidal (B37.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) Erysipelothrix (A26.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) extraintestinal yersiniosis (A28.2)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) gonococcal (A54.86)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) herpesviral (B00.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) listerial (A32.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) melioidosis (A24.1)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) meningococcal (A39.2-A39.4)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) plague (A20.7)
  • sepsis (due to) (in) tularemia (A21.7)
  • toxic shock syndrome (A48.3)

How long has A41.9 existed?

A41.9 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.

Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.

Which codes are confused with A41.9?

ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with A41.9 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.

Which conditions are coded to A41.9?

What other codes are in the A41 family? (7)