2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A41.01Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A30-A49›A41

ICD-10-CM A41.01
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

A41.01 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 870 through 872, 974 through 976. Coders also document this condition as bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Bacterial infections and Septicemia.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
A41.01
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
Short Description
Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
A41.0
Sepsis due to Staphylococcus aureus

Code Classification

ChapterA00–B99Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
SectionA30-A49Other bacterial diseases
CategoryA41Other sepsis
This CodeA41.01Sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bacteremia caused by Gram-positive bacteria
  • Bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus aureus
  • Sepsis caused by methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
  • Sepsis caused by Staphylococcus
  • Sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus
  • Sepsis due to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
  • Septic shock co-occurrent with acute organ dysfunction caused by methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
  • Septic shock co-occurrent with acute organ dysfunction due to Gram-positive coccus
  • Septic shock co-occurrent with acute organ dysfunction due to Staphylococcus

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • MSSA sepsis
  • Staphylococcus aureus sepsis NOS

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • MSSA(Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus)
      • sepsis
    • Sepsis(generalized) (unspecified organism)
      • MSSA (Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus)
    • Sepsis(generalized) (unspecified organism)
      • Staphylococcus, staphylococcal
        • aureus (methicillin susceptible) (MSSA)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR INF003
Bacterial infections
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No
CCSR INF002
Septicemia
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Sepsis

Sepsis is your body's overactive and extreme response to an infection. Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency. Without quick treatment, it can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death.

The full article covers:

  • What is sepsis?
  • What causes sepsis?
  • Who is more likely to develop sepsis?
  • What are the symptoms of sepsis?
  • What other problems can sepsis cause?
  • How is sepsis diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for sepsis?
  • Can sepsis be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert A41.01 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
038.11 Meth susc Staph aur sept
ApproximateCombination The match is approximate, and more than one code can be needed to describe the source diagnosis. Confirm with contextual judgment.
ICD-9-CM
995.91 Sepsis
ApproximateCombination The match is approximate, and more than one code can be needed to describe the source diagnosis. Confirm with contextual judgment.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About A41.01Overview

Is A41.01 (Sepsis due to Staphylococcus aureus) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does A41.01 group to?

When sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 870, 871, 872, 974, 975, 976, with relative weights from 0.8945 to 6.9118 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of A41.01?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, sepsis due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus converts to ICD-9-CM 038.11 (meth susc Staph aur sept) and 995.91 (sepsis). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.