2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L55.2Sunburn of third degree
ICD-10-CM Codes›L00–L99›L55-L59›L55
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
L55.2 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for sunburn of third degree. 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. Coders also document this condition as effects of overexposure to electromagnetic radiation. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified inflammatory condition of skin.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Effects of overexposure to electromagnetic radiation
- Sunburn of third degree
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- third degree - L55.2
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Sunburn
- third degree
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Sunburn
an injury to the skin causing erythema, tenderness, and sometimes blistering and resulting from excessive exposure to the sun. the reaction is produced by the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.Sunburn
an inflammatory reaction from ultraviolet radiation characterized by transient redness, tenderness and occasional blistering.
Patient EducationClinical
Sun Exposure
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible form of radiation. They can pass through your skin and damage your skin cells. Sunburns are a sign of skin damage. Suntans aren't healthy, either. They appear after the sun's rays have already killed some cells and damaged others.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert L55.2 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About L55.2Overview
Is L55.2 (Sunburn) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report sunburn of third degree on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does L55.2 group to?
When sunburn of third degree 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 L55.2?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, sunburn of third degree converts to ICD-9-CM 692.77 (3rd degree sunburn). 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.
