L03.90 — Cellulitis, unspecified
Is L03.90 billable?
Yes, but L03.90 is an unspecified code. L03.90 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, L03.90 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 L03.90 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
More specific alternatives
L03.90 at a glance
| Code | L03.90 |
|---|---|
| Description | Cellulitis, unspecified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does L03.90 group to?
L03.90 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, L03.90 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is L03.90 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to L03.90. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Cellulitis (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
- Cellulitis › chronic (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
- Cellulitis › multiple sites, so stated (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
Use additional code — inherited from L00-L08
Report an additional code alongside L03.90 to fully describe the condition. L03.90 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 L03.90, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.90 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 L03.90, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.90 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 L03.90, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, L03.90 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 L03.90 existed?
L03.90 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.