2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z48.01Encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing

ICD-10-CM Codes›Z00–Z99›Z40-Z53›Z48

ICD-10-CM Z48.01
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Z48.01 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing. 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 Other aftercare encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Z48.01
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing
Short Description
Encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Z48.0
Encounter for attention to dressings, sutures and drains

Code Classification

ChapterZ00–Z99Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
SectionZ40-Z53Encounters for other specific health care
CategoryZ48Encounter for other postprocedural aftercare
This CodeZ48.01Encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for Z48.01.

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

Z48.01 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.

    • Admission(for)
      • change of
        • surgical dressing
    • Admission(for)
      • removal of
        • surgical dressing
    • Aftercare
      • following surgery (for) (on)
        • attention to
          • dressings (nonsurgical)
            • surgical
    • Aftercare
      • involving
        • removal of
          • surgical dressings
    • Attention(to)
      • surgical dressings
    • Change(s) (in) (of)
      • dressing (nonsurgical)
        • surgical
    • Removal(from) (of)
      • dressing (nonsurgical)
        • surgical

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR FAC010
Other aftercare encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

After Surgery

After any operation, you'll have some side effects. There is usually some pain with surgery. There may also be swelling and soreness around the area that the surgeon cut. Your surgeon can tell you which side effects to expect.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert Z48.01 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
V58.31 Attn rem surg dressing
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 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Z48.01Overview

Is Z48.01 (Encounter for attention to dressings, sutures and drains) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Can Z48.01 be a principal diagnosis?

No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.

Is Z48.01 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 change or removal of surgical wound dressing on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Z48.01?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, encounter for change or removal of surgical wound dressing converts to ICD-9-CM V58.31 (attn rem surg dressing). The mapping is a direct match.