2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L02.519Cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand

ICD-10-CM Codes›L00–L99›L00-L08›L02

ICD-10-CM L02.519
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

L02.519 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 573 through 575, 602 through 603. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
L02.519
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand
Short Description
Cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
L02.51
Cutaneous abscess of hand

Code Classification

ChapterL00–L99Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
SectionL00-L08Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
CategoryL02Cutaneous abscess, furuncle and carbuncle
This CodeL02.519Cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for L02.519.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Abscess of dorsum of hand
  • Abscess of finger
  • Abscess of hand
  • Abscess of palm of hand
  • Abscess of thumb
  • Abscess of toe
  • Cellulitis and abscess of finger
  • Cellulitis and abscess of finger and toe
  • Cellulitis and abscess of hand
  • Cellulitis and abscess of lower limb
  • Cellulitis and abscess of toe
  • Cellulitis and abscess of upper limb
  • Mass of palm
  • Pulp abscess of finger
  • Pulp abscess of thumb
  • Subungual abscess

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SKN001
Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert L02.519 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
681.00 Cellulitis, finger NOS
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
682.4 Cellulitis of hand
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 L02.519Overview

Is L02.519 (Cutaneous abscess of hand) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does L02.519 group to?

When cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 573, 574, 575, 602, 603, with relative weights from 0.8709 to 6.5514 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of L02.519?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, cutaneous abscess of unspecified hand converts to ICD-9-CM 681.00 (cellulitis, finger NOS) and 682.4 (cellulitis of hand). 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.