2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J15.211Pneumonia due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J09-J18›J15

ICD-10-CM J15.211
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J15.211 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pneumonia 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 177 through 179, 974 through 976. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Bacterial infections and Pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis).

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J15.211
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pneumonia due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
Short Description
Pneumonia due to methicillin suscep staph
Parent Code
J15.21
Pneumonia due to staphylococcus aureus

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ09-J18Influenza and pneumonia
CategoryJ15Bacterial pneumonia, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ15.211Pneumonia due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bronchopneumonia caused by methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
  • Bronchopneumonia caused by Staphylococcus
  • Bronchopneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus
  • Infection by methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
  • Infection caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin producing Staphylococcus aureus
  • Necrotizing pneumonia caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin producing Staphylococcus aureus
  • Pneumonia caused by methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
  • Pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus
  • Pulmonary necrosis
  • Staphylococcal pneumonia

Tabular List NotesGuidance

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

Inclusion Terms

  • MSSA pneumonia
  • Pneumonia due to Staphylococcus aureus 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.

    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • in (due to)
        • Staphylococcus
          • aureus (methicillin susceptible) (MSSA)
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • MSSA (methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus)
    • Pneumonia(acute) (double) (migratory) (purulent) (septic) (unresolved)
      • staphylococcal (broncho) (lobar)
        • 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 RSP002
Pneumonia (except that caused by tuberculosis)
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of your lungs. It causes the air sacs of your lungs to fill up with fluid or pus. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on what caused it, your age, and your overall health.

The full article covers:

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

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J15.211 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
482.41 Meth sus pneum d/t Staph
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 J15.211Overview

Is J15.211 (Pneumonia due to staphylococcus aureus) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does J15.211 group to?

When pneumonia due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 177, 178, 179, 974, 975, 976, with relative weights from 0.7550 to 2.8860 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J15.211?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, pneumonia due to Methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus converts to ICD-9-CM 482.41 (meth sus pneum d/t Staph). 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.