2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A96.2Lassa fever

ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A90-A99›A96

ICD-10-CM A96.2
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

A96.2 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Lassa fever. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 865 through 866. Coders also document this condition as arenaviral hemorrhagic fever. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Viral infection.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
A96.2
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Lassa fever
Short Description
Lassa fever
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
A96
Arenaviral hemorrhagic fever

Code Classification

ChapterA00–B99Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
SectionA90-A99Arthropod-borne viral fevers and viral hemorrhagic fevers
CategoryA96Arenaviral hemorrhagic fever
This CodeA96.2Lassa fever

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Arenaviral hemorrhagic fever
  • Arenavirus encephalitis
  • Arenavirus meningitis
  • Infection caused by Lassa virus
  • Lassa fever
  • Lassa virus encephalitis
  • Lassa virus meningitis

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.

    • Fever(inanition) (of unknown origin) (persistent) (with chills) (with rigor)
      • Lassa
    • Lassa fever

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR INF008
Viral infection
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Lassa Fever

    an acute febrile human disease caused by the lassa virus.

  • Lassa virus

    a species of arenavirus, part of the old world arenaviruses (arenaviruses, old world), and the etiologic agent of lassa fever. lassa virus is a common infective agent in humans in west africa. its natural host is the multimammate mouse mastomys natalensis.

  • Lassa Fever

    a viral hemorrhagic fever that is caused by the lassa virus, which is transmitted by contact with infected rodents; it is characterized by fever, headache, malaise, myalgia, and hearing loss.

Patient EducationClinical

Hemorrhagic Fevers

Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a group of illnesses caused by four families of viruses. These include the Ebola and Marburg, Lassa fever, and yellow fever viruses. VHFs have common features: they affect many organs, they damage the blood vessels, and they affect the body's ability to regulate itself.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert A96.2 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
078.89 Oth spec dis viruses
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

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 A96.2Overview

Is A96.2 (Arenaviral hemorrhagic fever) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report Lassa fever on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does A96.2 group to?

When Lassa fever is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 865, 866, with relative weights from 0.8696 to 1.4983 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of A96.2?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, Lassa fever converts to ICD-9-CM 078.89 (oth spec dis viruses). 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.