2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z11.52Encounter for screening for COVID-19

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z00-Z13›Z11

ICD-10-CM Z11.52
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z11.52 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for encounter for screening for COVID-19. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor and exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Exposure, encounters, screening or contact with infectious disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z11.52
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Encounter for screening for COVID-19
Short Description
Encounter for screening for COVID-19
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z11.5
Encounter for screening for other viral diseases

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ00-Z13Persons encountering health services for examinations
CategoryZ11Encounter for screening for infectious and parasitic diseases
This CodeZ11.52Encounter for screening for COVID-19

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z11.52.

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.

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Z11.52 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

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.

    • COVID-19
      • screening
    • Screening(for)
      • coronavirus (disease) (novel) 2019
    • Screening(for)
      • COVID-19
    • Screening(for)
      • disease or disorder
        • coronavirus (novel) 2019
    • Screening(for)
      • disease or disorder
        • COVID-19
    • Screening(for)
      • disease or disorder
        • viral NEC
          • coronavirus (novel) 2019
    • Screening(for)
      • disease or disorder
        • viral NEC
          • COVID-19
    • Screening(for)
      • disease or disorder
        • viral NEC
          • SARS-CoV-2
    • Screening(for)
      • SARS-CoV-2

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR FAC016
Exposure, encounters, screening or contact with infectious disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

COVID-19 Testing

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. There are two types of tests for this virus:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Code History & ChangesHistory

Replacement Z11.52 replaces the following previously assigned code(s):

  • Z11.59 - Encounter for screening for other viral diseases
FY 2022AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2021.
FY 2023–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Z11.52Overview

Is Z11.52 (Encounter for screening for other viral diseases) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report encounter for screening for COVID-19 on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can Z11.52 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because encounter for screening for COVID-19 describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Is Z11.52 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for encounter for screening for COVID-19 on inpatient claims.