L97.122 maps to CMS-HCC V28 383. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupL97.122

Effective 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)

L97.122

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

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with fat layer exposed

A long-lasting open sore on the left thigh that is not caused by pressure, where the fatty tissue layer underneath the skin is exposed.

Buddy Insight

Non-pressure chronic ulcers of the lower extremity are significant indicators of underlying vascular disease, diabetes, or other systemic conditions that impair wound healing.

Overview Risk Models Code Book Documentation Audit Notes Edition comparison

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 383

Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except...

Coefficient HCC 383: 0.646 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Not used for standard CY2026 Medicare Advantage payment. Select a historical period to review V24.

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 217

HHS-HCC 217 adult, RAF varies...

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 161

Chronic Ulcer of Skin/Except ...

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 311

Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except...

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official

L97.1Non-pressure chronic ulcer of thigh L97.12Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh L97.122Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with fat layer exposed

Inclusion Terms

Official

No inclusion terms are included in this display for L97.122. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Excludes 2

Official

certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
viral warts (B07.-)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
pressure ulcer (pressure area) (L89.-)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
skin infections (L00-L08)Inherited from L00-L99, L97
specific infections classified to A00-B99Inherited from L00-L99, L97

Related Codes

Official

L97.121Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh limited to breakdown of skin L97.123Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with necrosis of muscle L97.124Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with necrosis of bone L97.125Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with muscle involvement without evidence of necrosis L97.126Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with bone involvement without evidence of necrosis

Includes

Official

chronic ulcer of skin of lower limb NOSInherited from L97
non-healing ulcer of skinInherited from L97
non-infected sinus of skinInherited from L97
trophic ulcer NOSInherited from L97
tropical ulcer NOSInherited from L97
ulcer of skin of lower limb NOSInherited from L97

Excludes 1

Official

No Excludes 1 notes are included in this display for L97.122. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Code First

Official

any associated underlying condition, such as:Inherited from L97
any associated gangrene (I96)Inherited from L97
atherosclerosis of the lower extremities (I70.23-, I70.24-, I70.33-, I70.34-, I70.43-, I70.44-, I70.53-, I70.54-, I70.63-, I70.64-, I70.73-, I70.74-)Inherited from L97
chronic venous hypertension (I87.31-, I87.33-)Inherited from L97
diabetic ulcers (E08.621, E08.622, E09.621, E09.622, E10.621, E10.622, E11.621, E11.622, E13.621, E13.622)Inherited from L97
postphlebitic syndrome (I87.01-, I87.03-)Inherited from L97
postthrombotic syndrome (I87.01-, I87.03-)Inherited from L97
varicose ulcer (I83.0-, I83.2-)Inherited from L97

Use Additional

Official

No Use Additional Code instructions are included in this display for L97.122. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Code Also

Official

No Code Also instructions are included in this display for L97.122. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Ulcer site documented as left thigh with clear laterality (left side)

Confirmation that the ulcer is chronic (present for extended duration, not acute)

Etiology documented as non-pressure (e.g., venous stasis, arterial insufficiency, diabetic, or other non-pressure cause)

Clinical assessment of wound depth and tissue involvement

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Ulcer site documented as left thigh with clear laterality (left side)

Confirmation that the ulcer is chronic (present for extended duration, not acute)

Etiology documented as non-pressure (e.g., venous stasis, arterial insufficiency, diabetic, or other non-pressure cause)

Clinical assessment of wound depth and tissue involvement

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Failing to verify laterality — documentation must specify left thigh; do not assume based on previous encounters

Coding a pressure ulcer code (L89.-) when the ulcer is actually non-pressure in etiology (venous, arterial, diabetic)

Confusing subcutaneous fat exposure with muscle involvement — fat layer exposed means dermis is breached but muscle is not visible

Selecting skin breakdown only (7th character 1) when the provider documents exposed subcutaneous tissue

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

L97.121 — limited to breakdown of skin; skin breakdown only — no deeper tissue involvement

L97.125 — muscle involvement without necrosis; muscle exposed but viable, no necrosis

L97.222 — right thigh; verify laterality before selecting code

L89.- — Pressure ulcer codes; use only when ulcer is caused by sustained pressure, not vascular or other non-pressure etiology

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 →

Is L97.122 an HCC code?

Yes. L97.122 (Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with fat layer exposed) maps to HCC 383, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure, Not Specified as Through to Bone or Muscle under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.646. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: L97.122 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 383, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure, Not Specified as Through to Bone or Muscle. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: L97.122
Description: Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with fat layer exposed
HCC (V28): HCC 383 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure, Not Specified as Through to Bone or Muscle
RAF reference coefficient: 0.646
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 383, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure, Not Specified as Through to Bone or Muscle

0.646

ESRDHCC 161, Chronic Ulcer of Skin/Except Pressure

Not separately weighted

RxHCCHCC 311, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

Not separately weighted

These are source-labeled model coefficients, not member totals. A category may still be removed by hierarchy or model cleanup rules. Weights are not directly comparable across models: CMS-HCC V28 and V24 use Community, Non-Dual, Aged; ESRD uses the dialysis continuing-enrollee model; RxHCC is the Part D continuing-enrollee, non-low-income, aged weight (a larger scale than CMS-HCC). ACA/HHS has no single weight — it varies by metal level. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains available for historical review.

Work L97.122 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT review for L97.122

For L97.122, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule.

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

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

L97.122 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh with fat layer exposed. A long-lasting open sore on the left thigh that is not caused by pressure, where the fatty tissue layer underneath the skin is exposed. L97.122 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, L97.122 maps to Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure, Not Specified as Through to Bone or Muscle (HCC 383) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.646. For CY2026 non-PACE Medicare Advantage, CMS uses 100% of the 2024 CMS-HCC model (V28). PACE uses a separate model blend. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

Document that fat layer is exposed; this indicates progression beyond simple skin breakdown. For L97.122, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule. 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, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for L97.122 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Document that fat layer is exposed; this indicates progression beyond simple skin breakdown
•Verify left thigh laterality and non-pressure etiology

Clinical Significance

Non-pressure chronic ulcers of the lower extremity are significant indicators of underlying vascular disease, diabetes, or other systemic conditions that impair wound healing. Exposure of the fat layer indicates the ulcer has penetrated beyond the dermis into subcutaneous tissue, representing a moderate-severity wound with increased risk of infection and delayed healing.

Documentation Requirements

✓Ulcer site documented as left thigh with clear laterality (left side)
✓Confirmation that the ulcer is chronic (present for extended duration, not acute)
✓Etiology documented as non-pressure (e.g., venous stasis, arterial insufficiency, diabetic, or other non-pressure cause)
✓Clinical assessment of wound depth and tissue involvement
✓Documentation that subcutaneous fat layer is visible or exposed in the wound bed
✓Wound measurements (length, width, depth) consistent with full-thickness skin loss
✓Description of wound bed appearance confirming fat tissue exposure

Commonly Confused Codes

•L97.121: limited to breakdown of skin; skin breakdown only: no deeper tissue involvement
•L97.125: muscle involvement without necrosis; muscle exposed but viable, no necrosis
•L97.222: right thigh; verify laterality before selecting code
•L89.-: Pressure ulcer codes; use only when ulcer is caused by sustained pressure, not vascular or other non-pressure etiology