2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L81.9Disorder of pigmentation, unspecified
ICD-10-CM Codes›L00–L99›L80-L99›L81
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
L81.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for disorder of pigmentation, unspecified. 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, 795. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified skin disorders.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Application site pigmentation changes
- Atypical pigmented lesion
- Benign pigmented skin lesion
- Crust on skin
- Crusting of pigmented skin lesion
- Disorder of pigmentation
- Disorder of pigmentation of skin following cosmetic surgery
- Disorder of skin color
- Disorder of skin pigmentation
- Drug pigmentation
- Drug-induced oral condition
- Drug-induced oral pigmentation
- Drug-induced pigmentation
- Exogenous pigmentation of oral mucosa
- Extrasystoles, short stature, hyperpigmentation, microcephaly syndrome
- Finding of color of female perineum
- Genetic disorder of skin pigmentation
- Hyperpigmentation of female perineum
- Hyperpigmentation of skin
- Injection site pigmentation change
- Itching of pigmented skin lesion
- Non-melanin pigmentation caused by exogenous substance
- Occupationally-acquired disorder of skin pigmentation
- Oozing of pigmented skin lesion
- Pattern of pigmentation
- Physiological pigmentation
- Physiological pigmentation of mucous membranes
- Pigmentation caused by bismuth
- Pigmentation defects, palmoplantar keratoderma, skin carcinoma syndrome
- Pigmentation disorder of lip
- Pigmentation of skin caused by artificial ultraviolet light
- Pigmentation of skin or mucosa
- Pigmented skin lesion
- Pigmented skin lesion of lower limb
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature of head
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature of lower extremity
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature of neck
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature of trunk
- Pigmented skin lesion of uncertain nature of upper limb
- Profuse pigmented skin lesions
- Skin discharge
- Skin pigmentation
- Subcutaneous component of pigmented skin lesion
- Ultraviolet-induced skin pigmentation - tanning
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to L81.9: its own notes plus those printed at L81 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.
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.
- nevus - see Alphabetical Index
- 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.-)
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
pigmentary L81.9
Disorder (of) See Also: Disease;
pigmentation L81.9
Dyschromia (skin) L81.9
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Skin Pigmentation Disorders
Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert L81.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About L81.9Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for disorder of pigmentation, unspecified?
The ICD-10-CM code for disorder of pigmentation, unspecified is L81.9 (sometimes written as L819). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is L81.9 (Other disorders of pigmentation) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report disorder of pigmentation, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does L81.9 group to?
When disorder of pigmentation, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 795, 607, 606, with relative weights from 0.2022 to 1.5721 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Can L81.9 be reported with Q82.5?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at L81, which applies to L81.9, lists "birthmark NOS (Q82.5)". 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).
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of L81.9?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, disorder of pigmentation, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 709.00 (dyschromia, unspecified). The mapping is a direct match.
