2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C43Malignant melanoma of skin

ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C43-C44›C43

ICD-10-CM C43
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

C43 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for malignant melanoma of skin, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as C43.0, C43.10, C43.111, and C43.112.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
C43
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Malignant melanoma of skin
Short Description
Malignant melanoma of skin
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
C43-C44
Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin

Code Classification

ChapterC00–D49Neoplasms
SectionC43-C44Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin
CategoryC43Malignant melanoma of skin
This CodeC43Malignant melanoma of skin

Specific Coding for Malignant melanoma of skinOverview

Non-specific codes like C43 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • Use C43.0 for Malignant melanoma of lip

  • C43.1 for Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus

  • Use C43.10 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.11 for Malignant melanoma of right eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.12 for Malignant melanoma of left eyelid, including canthus

  • C43.2 for Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.20 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.21 for Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal

  • Use C43.22 for Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal

  • C43.3 for Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face

  • Use C43.30 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face

  • Use C43.31 for Malignant melanoma of nose

  • Use C43.39 for Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

  • Use C43.4 for Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck

  • C43.5 for Malignant melanoma of trunk

  • Use C43.51 for Malignant melanoma of anal skin

  • Use C43.52 for Malignant melanoma of skin of breast

  • Use C43.59 for Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk

  • C43.6 for Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.60 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.61 for Malignant melanoma of right upper limb, including shoulder

  • Use C43.62 for Malignant melanoma of left upper limb, including shoulder

  • C43.7 for Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.70 for Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.71 for Malignant melanoma of right lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.72 for Malignant melanoma of left lower limb, including hip

  • Use C43.8 for Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin

  • Use C43.9 for Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to C43: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 2. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

  • malignant melanoma of skin of genital organs (C51-C52, C60.-, C63.-)
  • Merkel cell carcinoma (C4A.-)
  • sites other than skin-code to malignant neoplasm of the site

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 2 (C00-D49) Neoplasms applies to 1,730 codes
  • Functional activity
  • All neoplasms are classified in this chapter, whether they are functionally active or not. An additional code from Chapter 4 may be used, to identify functional activity associated with any neoplasm.
  • Morphology [Histology]
  • Chapter 2 classifies neoplasms primarily by site (topography), with broad groupings for behavior, malignant, in situ, benign, etc. The Table of Neoplasms should be used to identify the correct topography code. In a few cases, such as for malignant melanoma and certain neuroendocrine tumors, the morphology (histologic type) is included in the category and codes.
  • Primary malignant neoplasms overlapping site boundaries
  • A primary malignant neoplasm that overlaps two or more contiguous (next to each other) sites should be classified to the subcategory/code .8 ('overlapping lesion'), unless the combination is specifically indexed elsewhere. For multiple neoplasms of the same site that are not contiguous, such as tumors in different quadrants of the same breast, codes for each site should be assigned.
  • Malignant neoplasm of ectopic tissue
  • Malignant neoplasms of ectopic tissue are to be coded to the site mentioned, e.g., ectopic pancreatic malignant neoplasms are coded to pancreas, unspecified (C25.9).

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name C43, its category, or a range that includes it.

Applicable To 1

These notes mention C43.

  • Z85.820 Personal history of malignant melanoma of skin
    Conditions classifiable to C43

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming C43: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • C44 Other and unspecified malignant neoplasm of skin
    malignant melanoma of skin (C43.-)

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Cutaneous Melanoma

    a primary melanoma arising from atypical melanocytes in the skin. precursor lesions include acquired and congenital melanocytic nevi, and dysplastic nevi. several histologic variants have been recognized, including superficial spreading melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma, nodular melanoma, and lentigo maligna melanoma.

Patient EducationClinical

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or "ugly looking."

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About C43Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for malignant melanoma of skin?

C43 is the ICD-10-CM category for malignant melanoma of skin, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.

Is C43 (Malignant melanoma of skin) a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for malignant melanoma of skin, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for malignant melanoma of skin need a more specific code from this category, such as C43.0, C43.10, and C43.111.

Can C43 be reported with a code from D03?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on C43 lists "melanoma in situ (D03.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).