2025 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L40.9

Psoriasis, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
L40.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Psoriasis, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Chronic
Code Navigator:

L40.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of psoriasis, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2024 through September 30, 2025.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like L40.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
    L00–L99

Approximate Synonyms

The following list of clinical terms are approximate synonyms, alternative descriptions, or common phrases that might be used by patients, healthcare providers, or medical coders to describe the same condition. These synonyms and related diagnosis terms are often used when searching for an ICD-10 code, especially when the exact medical terminology is unclear. Whether you're looking for lay terms, similar diagnosis names, or common language alternatives, this list can help guide you to the correct ICD-10 classification.

  • Disorder of skin due to human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • Drug-exacerbated psoriasis
  • Early onset psoriasis type 1
  • Exacerbation of psoriasis
  • Exacerbation of psoriasis
  • Familial psoriasis
  • Familial psoriasis
  • Generalized psoriasis
  • Hypertrophy of nail
  • Juvenile psoriatic arthritis
  • Juvenile psoriatic arthritis with psoriasis
  • Late onset psoriasis type 2
  • Non-pustular psoriasis of hands
  • Non-pustular psoriasis of hands and feet
  • Onset of psoriasis in adolescence
  • Onset of psoriasis in childhood
  • Onset of psoriasis in early adulthood
  • Onset of psoriasis in infancy
  • Psoriasiform drug eruption
  • Psoriasis
  • Psoriasis exacerbated by human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • Psoriasis of anogenital region
  • Psoriasis of anogenital region
  • Psoriasis of face
  • Psoriasis of nail
  • Psoriasis of penis
  • Psoriasis of scalp
  • Psoriasis of scalp margin
  • Psoriasis of vulva
  • Psoriatic arthritis
  • Psoriatic nail hypertrophy
  • Unstable psoriasis
  • X-linked intellectual disability with seizure and psoriasis syndrome

Clinical Classification

Clinical Classifications group individual ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into broader, clinically meaningful categories. These categories help simplify complex data by organizing related conditions under common clinical themes.

They are especially useful for data analysis, reporting, and clinical decision-making. Even when diagnosis codes differ, similar conditions can be grouped together based on their clinical relevance. Each category is assigned a unique CCSR code that represents a specific clinical concept, often tied to a body system or medical specialty.

Other specified inflammatory condition of skin

CCSR Code: SKN002

Inpatient Default: Y - Yes, default inpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

Outpatient Default: Y - Yes, default outpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

Clinical Information

  • Arthritis, Psoriatic

    a type of inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis, often involving the axial joints and the peripheral terminal interphalangeal joints. it is characterized by the presence of hla-b27-associated spondylarthropathy, and the absence of rheumatoid factor.
  • Guttate Psoriasis

    a skin condition, typically emerges suddenly and frequently occurs after an infection such as streptococcal infection. while prevalent among children, it can also manifest in young adults. its defining feature is the eruption of small, red, scaly patches that typically appear on the arms, legs, and torso.
  • Psoriasis

    a common genetically determined, chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by rounded erythematous, dry, scaling patches. the lesions have a predilection for nails, scalp, genitalia, extensor surfaces, and the lumbosacral region. accelerated epidermopoiesis is considered to be the fundamental pathologic feature in psoriasis.
  • Streptococcal Infections

    infections with bacteria of the genus streptococcus.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert L40.9 to ICD-9-CM

Below are the ICD-9 codes that most closely match this ICD-10 code, based on the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs). This ICD-10 to ICD-9 crosswalk tool is helpful for coders who need to reference legacy diagnosis codes for audits, historical claims, or approximate code comparisons.

Other psoriasis

ICD-9-CM: 696.1

Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means this ICD-10 code does not have an exact ICD-9 equivalent. The matched code is the closest available option, but it may not fully capture the original diagnosis or clinical intent.

Patient Education


Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. You usually get the patches on your elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet, but they can show up on other parts of your body. Some people who have psoriasis also get a form of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis.

A problem with your immune system causes psoriasis. In a process called cell turnover, skin cells that grow deep in your skin rise to the surface. Normally, this takes a month. In psoriasis, it happens in just days because your cells rise too fast.

Psoriasis can be hard to diagnose because it can look like other skin diseases. Your doctor might need to look at a small skin sample under a microscope.

Psoriasis can last a long time, even a lifetime. Symptoms come and go. Things that make them worse include:

  • Infections
  • Stress
  • Dry skin
  • Certain medicines

Psoriasis usually occurs in adults. It sometimes runs in families. Treatments include creams, medicines, and light therapy.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) disease in which the immune system works too much, causing patches of skin to become scaly and inflamed.
[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.