L03 ICD-10-CM Code: Cellulitis and acute lymphangitis
L03 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools
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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) / Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L08)
L03
Header CodeICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceCellulitis and acute lymphangitis
CMS-HCC V28
N/A—
Not mapped
CMS-HCC V24
N/A—
Not mapped
ACA/HHS
N/A—
Not mapped
ESRD/PACE
N/A—
Not mapped
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialNo inclusion terms are included in this display for L03. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 2
Official- cellulitis of anal and rectal region (K61.-)
- cellulitis of external auditory canal (H60.1)
- cellulitis of eyelid (H00.0)
- cellulitis of female external genital organs (N76.4)
- cellulitis of lacrimal apparatus (H04.3)
- cellulitis of male external genital organs (N48.2, N49.-)
- cellulitis of mouth (K12.2)
- cellulitis of nose (J34.0)
- eosinophilic cellulitis [Wells] (L98.3)
- febrile neutrophilic dermatosis [Sweet] (L98.2)
- lymphangitis (chronic) (subacute) (I89.1)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- viral warts (B07.-)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- hordeolum (H00.0)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- infective dermatitis (L30.3)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- local infections of skin classified in Chapter 1Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- lupus panniculitis (L93.2)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- panniculitis NOS (M79.3)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- panniculitis of neck and back (M54.0-)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- Perlèche NOS (K13.0)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- Perlèche due to candidiasis (B37.0)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- Perlèche due to riboflavin deficiency (E53.0)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- pyogenic granuloma (L98.0)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- relapsing panniculitis [Weber-Christian] (M35.6)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
- zoster (B02.-)Inherited from L00-L99, L00-L08
Related Codes
Includes
OfficialNo Includes notes are included in this display for L03. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 1
OfficialNo Excludes 1 notes are included in this display for L03. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code First
OfficialNo Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for L03. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Use Additional
Official- code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.Inherited from L00-L08
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for L03. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →
- Code
- L03
- Description
- Cellulitis and acute lymphangitis
- HCC (V28)
- No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
- RAF reference coefficient
- —
- Billable
- No
- Payment year
- 2026
Coder workflow notes
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What This Code Means
L03 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cellulitis and acute lymphangitis. L03 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (l00-l99), within the section covering infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (l00-l08).
Header codes like L03 cannot be reported on claims directly; they organize child codes that share clinical context. Coders should select the billable child code that matches the documented presentation and then verify its current source-backed HCC mapping. Do not infer a child code or risk adjustment value from the header alone.
HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for L03 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Excludes 2, Not included here, may code separately
- cellulitis of anal and rectal region (K61.-)
- cellulitis of external auditory canal (H60.1)
- cellulitis of eyelid (H00.0)
- cellulitis of female external genital organs (N76.4)
- cellulitis of lacrimal apparatus (H04.3)
- cellulitis of male external genital organs (N48.2, N49.-)
- cellulitis of mouth (K12.2)
- cellulitis of nose (J34.0)
- eosinophilic cellulitis [Wells] (L98.3)
- febrile neutrophilic dermatosis [Sweet] (L98.2)
- lymphangitis (chronic) (subacute) (I89.1)