Malignant melanoma of skin (C43) ICD-10-CM
The C43 code range covers malignant melanoma of skin with 33 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 24 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
- melanoma in situ D03
Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Codes in the C43 Range 33 codes · 24 billable
- C43 Malignant melanoma of skinNon-billable
- C43.0 Malignant melanoma of lip
- C43.1 Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthusNon-billable
- C43.10 Malignant melanoma of unspecified eyelid, including canthus
- C43.11 Malignant melanoma of right eyelid, including canthusNon-billable
- C43.111 Malignant melanoma of right upper eyelid, including canthus
- C43.112 Malignant melanoma of right lower eyelid, including canthus
- C43.12 Malignant melanoma of left eyelid, including canthusNon-billable
- C43.121 Malignant melanoma of left upper eyelid, including canthus
- C43.122 Malignant melanoma of left lower eyelid, including canthus
- C43.2 Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canalNon-billable
- C43.20 Malignant melanoma of unspecified ear and external auricular canal
- C43.21 Malignant melanoma of right ear and external auricular canal
- C43.22 Malignant melanoma of left ear and external auricular canal
- C43.3 Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of faceNon-billable
- C43.30 Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face
- C43.31 Malignant melanoma of nose
- C43.39 Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- C43.4 Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck
- C43.5 Malignant melanoma of trunkNon-billable
- C43.51 Malignant melanoma of anal skin
- C43.52 Malignant melanoma of skin of breast
- C43.59 Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- C43.6 Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulderNon-billable
- C43.60 Malignant melanoma of unspecified upper limb, including shoulder
- C43.61 Malignant melanoma of right upper limb, including shoulder
- C43.62 Malignant melanoma of left upper limb, including shoulder
- C43.7 Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hipNon-billable
- C43.70 Malignant melanoma of unspecified lower limb, including hip
- C43.71 Malignant melanoma of right lower limb, including hip
- C43.72 Malignant melanoma of left lower limb, including hip
- C43.8 Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin
- C43.9 Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified
About the C43 Code Range
ICD-10 code C43 covers malignant melanoma of the skin, including specific codes for melanoma affecting various skin sites such as the lip, eyelids, ear, face, scalp, trunk, limbs, and overlapping or unspecified locations. These codes identify and classify different forms and locations of this aggressive skin cancer.
Malignant melanoma of skin is uniquely coded under C43 and its subcategories, which specify the exact site like C43.0 for melanoma of the lip, including synonyms like malignant melanoma of oral cavity, helping coders link common terms to the official code. Eyelid melanomas have detailed codes like C43.11 and C43.12 differentiating right and left eyelids. Codes such as C43.20 cover melanoma of the ear and external auditory canal, while C43.31 refers specifically to melanoma of the nose. The classification also extends to melanomas on the trunk (C43.5), upper limbs (C43.6), and lower limbs (C43.7), each with more precise subcodes for side and part affected.
For those seeking the ICD-10 code for skin melanoma in less assigned or overlapping areas, C43.8 and C43.9 represent overlapping sites and unspecified skin locations respectively. The inclusion of various synonyms in these listings, such as "melanoma carcinomatosis" or "primary lentigo maligna melanoma," assists both medical coders and healthcare professionals in accurately matching clinical diagnoses or documentation to the correct ICD-10-CM codes for malignant melanoma of the skin.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the C43 range?
Of the 33 codes in this range, 24 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the C43 range classify?
The range classifies malignant melanoma of skin. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
