2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C44.91Basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified
ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C43-C44›C44
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
C44.91 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 606 through 607. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Skin cancers - basal cell carcinoma.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Adverse effect from PUVA photochemotherapy
- Basal cell carcinoma - adamantinoid
- Basal cell carcinoma - adenoid
- Basal cell carcinoma - first recurrence
- Basal cell carcinoma - follicular
- Basal cell carcinoma - infiltrative
- Basal cell carcinoma - keratotic
- Basal cell carcinoma - micronodular
- Basal cell carcinoma - multiple recurrences
- Basal cell carcinoma - primary
- Basal cell carcinoma - second recurrence
- Basal cell carcinoma - third recurrence
- Basal cell carcinoma of skin
- Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following cryosurgery
- Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following curettage
- Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following excision
- Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following Mohs' excision
- Basal cell carcinoma recurrent following radiotherapy
- Basal cell carcinoma with adnexal differentiation
- Basal cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation
- Basal cell carcinoma with granular cell change
- Basal cell carcinoma with matrical differentiation
- Basal cell carcinoma with monster cells
- Basal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid differentiation
- Basal cell carcinoma with sebaceous differentiation
- Basal cell carcinoma with signet ring change
- Basosquamous carcinoma of skin
- Circumscribed solid basal cell carcinoma
- Cystic basal cell carcinoma
- Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus
- Follicular atrophoderma
- Follicular atrophoderma and basal cell epitheliomata
- Gorlin syndrome
- Malignant basal cell neoplasm of skin
- Malignant neoplasm of skin caused by radiation
- Malignant neoplasm of skin with pilar differentiation
- Metastatic basal cell carcinoma
- Nodular basal cell carcinoma of skin
- Nodulo-ulcerative basal cell carcinoma
- Pigmented basal cell carcinoma
- Primary basal cell carcinoma - adenoid
- Primary basal cell carcinoma - infiltrative
- Primary basal cell carcinoma - micronodular
- Primary basal cell carcinoma with eccrine differentiation
- Primary basosquamous carcinoma of skin
- Primary fibroepithelioma of Pinkus
- Primary nodular basal cell carcinoma of skin
- Primary sclerosing morpheic basal cell carcinoma
- Primary superficial basal cell carcinoma
- Primary trichilemmal carcinoma
- PUVA therapy-associated basal cell carcinoma
- Recurrent basal cell carcinoma
- Sclerosing morpheic basal cell carcinoma
- Superficial basal cell carcinoma
- Trichilemmal carcinoma
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Carcinoma (malignant) - See Also: Neoplasm, by site, malignant;
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Carcinoma(malignant)
- basal cell (pigmented) (see also Neoplasm, skin, malignant)
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma
a carcinoma that arises from the basal cells and has metastasized to another anatomic site.Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma
the reemergence of basal cell carcinoma after a period of remission.Recurrent Lip Basal Cell Carcinoma|Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of Lip|Recurrent Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip|Recurrent Lip Basal Cell Cancer|Relapsed Basal Cell Carcinoma of Lip|Relapsed Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Lip|Relapsed Lip Basal Cell Carcinoma
reemergence of basal cell carcinoma of the lip after a period of remission.Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma
a variant of basal cell carcinoma of the skin presenting as erythematous, often multiple patches. morphologically, it is characterized by the presence of superficial lobules of basaloid cells projecting into the dermis. the basaloid cell lobules are surrounded by myxoid stroma and are usually confined to the papillary dermis.Superficial Multifocal Basal Cell Carcinoma|Multicentric Basal Cell Carcinoma|Multicentric basal cell carcinoma|Multifocal superficial basal cell carcinoma
a superficial basal cell carcinoma of the skin characterized by the presence of lobules of basaloid cells which are separated by large distances and represent multifocal discrete tumors.
Table of NeoplasmsClinical
Anatomical sites in the Table of Neoplasms that reference this code family.
| Site | Malig. Primary | Malig. Secondary | Ca in situ | Benign | Uncertain | Unspec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| skin NOS › basal cell carcinoma | C44.91 | – | – | – | – | – |
| skin NOS › limb NEC › basal cell carcinoma | C44.91 | – | – | – | – | – |
Patient EducationClinical
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form on the head, face, neck, hands, and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert C44.91 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About C44.91Overview
Is C44.91 a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does C44.91 group to?
When basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 606, 607, with relative weights from 0.9064 to 1.5132 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of C44.91?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, basal cell carcinoma of skin, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 173.91 (basal cell ca skin NOS). 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.
