2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L49.5Exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface

ICD-10-CM Codes›L00–L99›L49-L54›L49

ICD-10-CM L49.5
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

L49.5 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 606 through 607. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified inflammatory condition of skin.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
L49.5
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface
Short Description
Exfoliatn due to erythemat cond w 50-59 pct of body surface
Parent Code
L49
Exfoliation due to erythematous conditions according to extent of body surface involved

Code Classification

ChapterL00–L99Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
SectionL49-L54Urticaria and erythema
CategoryL49Exfoliation due to erythematous conditions according to extent of body surface involved
This CodeL49.5Exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for L49.5.

Unacceptable principal diagnosis
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to L49.5: its own notes plus those printed at L49, block L49-L54, and Chapter 12. 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.

From Block L49-L54 Urticaria and erythema applies to 33 codes

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.

From Chapter 12 (L00-L99) Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue applies to 1,001 codes
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
  • systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)
  • viral warts (B07.-)

Code First

The underlying condition named in the note is sequenced before this code.

From L49 Exfoliation due to erythematous conditions according to extent of body surface involved applies to 10 codes
  • erythematous condition causing exfoliation, such as:
  • Ritter's disease (L00)
  • (Staphylococcal) scalded skin syndrome (L00)
  • Stevens-Johnson syndrome (L51.1)
  • Stevens-Johnson syndrome-toxic epidermal necrolysis overlap syndrome (L51.3)
  • Toxic epidermal necrolysis (L51.2)

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

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name L49.5, its category, or a range that includes it.

Use Additional Code 2

These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and L49.5 is one of the codes named.

  • L00 Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome
    code to identify percentage of skin exfoliation (L49.-) names L49.-, which includes this code
  • L51 Erythema multiforme
    code to identify percentage of skin exfoliation (L49.-) names L49.-, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SKN002
Other specified inflammatory condition of skin
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Eczema

Eczema is a term for several different types of skin swelling. Eczema is also called dermatitis. Most types cause dry, itchy skin and rashes on the face, inside the elbows and behind the knees, and on the hands and feet. Scratching the skin can cause it to turn red, and to swell and itch even more.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert L49.5 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
695.55 Exfl d/t eryth 50-59 bdy
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About L49.5Overview

Is L49.5 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does L49.5 group to?

On inpatient claims, exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface maps to MS-DRG 607, 606, with relative weights from 0.8772 to 1.5721 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is L49.5 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists L49.5 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family.

Can L49.5 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because exfoliation due to erythematous condition involving 50-59 percent of body surface describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Can L49.5 be reported with a code from A69.2?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at block L49-L54, which applies to L49.5, lists "Lyme disease (A69.2-)". 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).