2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code B02.1Zoster meningitis

ICD-10-CM CodesA00–B99B00-B09B02

ICD-10-CM B02.1
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

B02.1 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for zoster meningitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 974 through 976. Coders also document this condition as herpes zoster meningitis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Meningitis and Viral infection.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
B02.1
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Zoster meningitis
Short Description
Zoster meningitis
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Zoster [herpes zoster]

Code Classification

ChapterA00–B99Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
SectionB00-B09Viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions
CategoryB02Zoster [herpes zoster]
This CodeB02.1Zoster meningitis

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Herpes zoster meningitis

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

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

    • Herpes, herpesvirus, herpetic
      • meningitis (simplex)
        • zoster
    • Herpes, herpesvirus, herpetic
      • zoster
        • meningitis
    • Meningitis(basal) (basic) (brain) (cerebral) (cervical) (congestive) (diffuse) (hemorrhagic) (infantile) (membranous) (metastatic) (nonspecific) (pontine) (progressive) (simple) (spinal) (subacute) (sympathetic) (toxic)
      • in (due to)
        • herpes (simplex) virus
          • zoster
    • Meningitis(basal) (basic) (brain) (cerebral) (cervical) (congestive) (diffuse) (hemorrhagic) (infantile) (membranous) (metastatic) (nonspecific) (pontine) (progressive) (simple) (spinal) (subacute) (sympathetic) (toxic)
      • in (due to)
        • zoster

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR NVS001
Meningitis
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes
CCSR INF008
Viral infection
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient No

Patient EducationClinical

Meningitis

Meningitis is inflammation of the thin tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges. There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. You get it when a virus enters the body through the nose or mouth and travels to the brain. Bacterial meningitis is rare but can be deadly.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert B02.1 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
053.0 Herpes zoster meningitis
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

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 B02.1Overview

Is B02.1 (Zoster [herpes zoster]) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does B02.1 group to?

When zoster meningitis is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 974, 975, 976, with relative weights from 0.8945 to 2.8860 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of B02.1?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, zoster meningitis converts to ICD-9-CM 053.0 (herpes zoster meningitis). The mapping is a direct match.

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.