What is ICD-10 code L89.522?

L89.522 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 2. A stage 2 pressure ulcer (bedsore) on the left ankle, characterized by partial thickness skin loss affecting the outer and underlying layers of skin. L89.522 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. L89.522 is part of the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code set published by the CMS National Center for Health Statistics and used on Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims in the United States.

Yes. L89.522 is a billable ICD-10-CM code that can be reported on professional and institutional claims as a primary or secondary diagnosis when the provider documentation supports the specific condition described. Billable codes in ICD-10-CM are coded to the highest level of specificity available for the documented diagnosis. L89.522 is current for fiscal year 2026 and remains in the active CMS ICD-10-CM code set published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for L89.522?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. For L89.522, V28 maps to Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss at RAF 0.000 while V24 mapped to Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss at RAF 0.000. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting L89.522?

Stage 2 indicates partial-thickness skin loss with visible damage but no full-thickness involvement; document laterality (left) clearly in medical record Ensure documentation specifies the ankle location and stage to avoid miscoding as unspecified stage (L89.529) Because L89.522 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

L89.522 ICD-10 Code: Pressure ulcer of left ankle

ICD-10-CM Code View

HCC Buddy Code Card

Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

Code lookupL89.522Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) / Other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L80-L99)

L89.522

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 2

A stage 2 pressure ulcer (bedsore) on the left ankle, characterized by partial thickness skin loss affecting the outer and underlying layers of skin.

Buddy Insight

A stage 2 pressure ulcer of the left ankle involves partial thickness skin loss with exposed dermis, presenting as a shallow open ulcer or intact/ruptured blister.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 382

Pressure Ulcer of Skin with P...

RAF 0.0

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 159

Pressure Ulcer of Skin with P...

RAF 0.0

ACA/HHS

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 159

Pressure Ulcer of Skin with P...

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

Code Trumping

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Compare selected patient codes to show trumped or trumps impact.

Code Book Path

Official

L89.5Pressure ulcer of ankle

L89.52Pressure ulcer of left ankle

L89.522Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 2

Inclusion Terms

Official

Healing pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 2
Pressure ulcer with abrasion, blister, partial thickness skin loss involving epidermis and/or dermis, left ankle

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for L89.522 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

L89.520Pressure ulcer of left ankle, unstageable

L89.521Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 1

L89.523Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 3

L89.524Pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 4

L89.526Pressure-induced deep tissue damage of left ankle

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for L89.522 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for L89.522 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for L89.522 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for L89.522 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for L89.522 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Exact anatomical location of the pressure ulcer

Explicit staging as stage 2 by the provider

Description of wound appearance (shallow crater, intact or ruptured serum-filled blister)

Wound dimensions (length x width in centimeters)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Exact anatomical location of the pressure ulcer

Explicit staging as stage 2 by the provider

Description of wound appearance (shallow crater, intact or ruptured serum-filled blister)

Wound dimensions (length x width in centimeters)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Do not confuse moisture-associated skin damage (incontinence dermatitis) with a stage 2 pressure ulcer — different etiology and different codes

A skin tear is NOT a stage 2 pressure ulcer; pressure ulcers require sustained pressure as the cause

Stage 2 does NOT include partial thickness loss with slough — presence of slough indicates at least stage 3

If the wound was previously a higher stage, it should NOT be reverse-staged; use the highest documented stage or 'healing stage X'

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

L89.533 — Stage 3 pressure ulcer of left ankle involves full thickness skin loss into subcutaneous tissue

L89.51.2 — Stage 2 of right ankle; ensure correct laterality

L97.911 — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of ankle with skin breakdown has different etiology (venous, arterial)

L89.92 — Unspecified site stage 2 should be avoided when the anatomic site is known

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is L89.522 an HCC code?

Yes. L89.522 maps to Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 382, Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss

0.000

V24HCC 159, Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss

0.000

ESRDHCC 159, Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss

0.000

RAF weights shown are the community, non-dual, aged base weights from the CMS risk adjustment model file. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member segment, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains in use during the transition and for historical data.

MEAT Criteria for L89.522

For L89.522to count as a valid HCC diagnosis in a given encounter, the provider's documentation must show MEAT: Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat. A diagnosis from a prior year does not carry forward automatically, it has to be re-documented and supported each calendar year.

MMonitor: signs, symptoms, disease progression, or lab trending documented in the note
EEvaluate: test results, medication response, or physical findings reviewed by the provider
AAssess: explicit mention in the assessment or plan with acknowledgment of status
TTreat: medication, referral, procedure, therapy, or counseling tied to the diagnosis

Only one of M/E/A/T is required to support the code, but the documentation must be specific enough to show that the provider actually addressed L89.522 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

L89.522 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pressure ulcer of left ankle, stage 2. A stage 2 pressure ulcer (bedsore) on the left ankle, characterized by partial thickness skin loss affecting the outer and underlying layers of skin. L89.522 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (l00-l99), within the section covering other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (l80-l99).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, L89.522 maps to Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Partial Thickness Skin Loss (HCC 382) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.000. The V24 model used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition mapped L89.522 the same way and at the same RAF weight. V28 is the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model that reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition.

Stage 2 indicates partial-thickness skin loss with visible damage but no full-thickness involvement; document laterality (left) clearly in medical record. Because L89.522 maps to a payment HCC, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's Medicare Advantage risk adjustment score. When documentation is ambiguous, coders should issue a provider query rather than assume the highest-specificity variant.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for L89.522 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Stage 2 indicates partial-thickness skin loss with visible damage but no full-thickness involvement; document laterality (left) clearly in medical record
•Ensure documentation specifies the ankle location and stage to avoid miscoding as unspecified stage (L89.529)

Clinical Significance

A stage 2 pressure ulcer of the left ankle involves partial thickness skin loss with exposed dermis, presenting as a shallow open ulcer or intact/ruptured blister. While less severe than deeper stages, it signals impaired skin integrity requiring vigilant monitoring to prevent progression. Stage 2 pressure ulcers map to lower-tier HCC categories and typically do not carry significant RAF weight, but accurate capture is essential for tracking wound progression.

Documentation Requirements

✓Exact anatomical location of the pressure ulcer
✓Explicit staging as stage 2 by the provider
✓Description of wound appearance (shallow crater, intact or ruptured serum-filled blister)
✓Wound dimensions (length x width in centimeters)
✓Absence of slough or eschar in the wound bed (presence suggests deeper staging)
✓Current treatment plan and wound care interventions
✓Risk factors for pressure injury (immobility, incontinence, nutritional status)
✓Reassessment frequency and healing trajectory documentation

Commonly Confused Codes

•L89.533: Stage 3 pressure ulcer of left ankle involves full thickness skin loss into subcutaneous tissue
•L89.51.2: Stage 2 of right ankle; ensure correct laterality
•L97.911: Non-pressure chronic ulcer of ankle with skin breakdown has different etiology (venous, arterial)
•L89.92: Unspecified site stage 2 should be avoided when the anatomic site is known