L03.811 — Cellulitis of head [any part, except face]
Is L03.811 billable?
Yes — L03.811 is billable for FY2027. L03.811 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. L03.811 may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
L03.811 at a glance
| Code | L03.811 |
|---|---|
| Description | Cellulitis of head [any part, except face] |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does L03.811 group to?
L03.811 sits in MDC 09 and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 573Skin Graft for Skin Ulcer or Cellulitis with MCCsurgical
- 574Skin Graft for Skin Ulcer or Cellulitis with CCsurgical
- 575Skin Graft for Skin Ulcer or Cellulitis without CC/MCCsurgical
As a secondary diagnosis, L03.811 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is L03.811 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to L03.811. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Cellulitis › head NEC (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
- Cellulitis › scalp (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
Excludes2 — not included here
The conditions below are not part of L03.811, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.811 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- cellulitis of face (L03.211)
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to L03.811.
- Cellulitis of scalp
Use additional code — inherited from L00-L08
Report an additional code alongside L03.811 to fully describe the condition. L03.811 is sequenced first.
- code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 12
The conditions below are not part of L03.811, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.811 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
- systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)
- viral warts (B07.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from L00-L08
The conditions below are not part of L03.811, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.811 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- hordeolum (H00.0)
- infective dermatitis (L30.3)
- local infections of skin classified in Chapter 1
- lupus panniculitis (L93.2)
- panniculitis NOS (M79.3)
- panniculitis of neck and back (M54.0-)
- Perlèche NOS (K13.0)
- Perlèche due to candidiasis (B37.0)
- Perlèche due to riboflavin deficiency (E53.0)
- pyogenic granuloma (L98.0)
- relapsing panniculitis [Weber-Christian] (M35.6)
- viral warts (B07.-)
- zoster (B02.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from L03
The conditions below are not part of L03.811, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.811 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- cellulitis of anal and rectal region (K61.-)
- cellulitis of external auditory canal (H60.1)
- cellulitis of eyelid (H00.0)
- cellulitis of female external genital organs (N76.4)
- cellulitis of lacrimal apparatus (H04.3)
- cellulitis of male external genital organs (N48.2, N49.-)
- cellulitis of mouth (K12.2)
- cellulitis of nose (J34.0)
- eosinophilic cellulitis [Wells] (L98.3)
- febrile neutrophilic dermatosis [Sweet] (L98.2)
- lymphangitis (chronic) (subacute) (I89.1)
How long has L03.811 existed?
L03.811 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.