What is ICD-10 code L97.515?

L97.515 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with muscle involvement without evidence of necrosis. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (l00-l99). L97.515 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. L97.515 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. L97.515 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. L97.515 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 L97.515?

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 L97.515, V28 maps to Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure at RAF 0.426 while V24 mapped to Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure at RAF 0.426. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting L97.515?

Distinguish from L97.513 by confirming muscle involvement WITHOUT necrosis in the clinical documentation Verify right foot and non-heel/non-sole location Because L97.515 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.

L97.515 ICD-10 Code: Non-pressure chronic ulcer

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 lookupL97.515Effective 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)

L97.515

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

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with muscle involvement without evidence of necrosis

A long-lasting open sore on the right foot (not from pressure) where muscle is involved but not dead, affecting an area other than the heel or sole.

Buddy Insight

This ulcer extends to the muscle layer but without evidence of tissue death, indicating deep but potentially viable wound tissue.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 380

Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except...

RAF 0.426

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 161

Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except...

RAF 0.426

ACA/HHS

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 161

Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except...

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 311

Diabetic and Chronic Skin Ulcer

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Compare selected patient codes to show trumped or trumps impact.

Code Book Path

Official

L97.5Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of foot

L97.51Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot

L97.515Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with muscle involvement without evidence of necrosis

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for L97.515 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for L97.515 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

L97.511Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot limited to breakdown of skin

L97.512Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with fat layer exposed

L97.513Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with necrosis of muscle

L97.514Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with necrosis of bone

L97.516Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with bone involvement without evidence of necrosis

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for L97.515 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for L97.515 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for L97.515 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for L97.515 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for L97.515 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific anatomic location documented as other part of right foot

Confirmation that the ulcer is non-pressure in etiology (not caused by pressure/immobility)

Chronicity established — ulcer present for extended duration or described as chronic

Current wound assessment including size (length x width x depth in centimeters)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific anatomic location documented as other part of right foot

Confirmation that the ulcer is non-pressure in etiology (not caused by pressure/immobility)

Chronicity established — ulcer present for extended duration or described as chronic

Current wound assessment including size (length x width x depth in centimeters)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Confusing non-pressure ulcers (L97) with pressure ulcers (L89) — verify the etiology is NOT pressure/immobility-related before assigning L97 codes

Upcoding to muscle necrosis when documentation only states muscle involvement — absence of necrosis must be clearly documented or implied

Missing the distinction between fat layer exposure and muscle involvement — verify wound depth assessment

Failing to code the underlying cause (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency) — L97 codes often require an additional etiology code per ICD-10-CM guidelines

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

L97.513 — Muscle necrosis at same location; use when muscle tissue is necrotic (dead), not just involved

L97.516 — Bone involvement without necrosis at same location; use when bone (not muscle) is involved

L97.512 — Fat layer exposed at same location; use when ulcer depth reaches only the fat layer

L89.xxx (Pressure ulcer codes) — Pressure ulcers use the L89 category; L97 is specifically for NON-pressure chronic ulcers

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 L97.515 an HCC code?

Yes. L97.515 maps to Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 380, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.426

V24HCC 161, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.426

ESRDHCC 161, Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.000

RxHCCHCC 311, Diabetic and Chronic Skin Ulcer

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 L97.515

For L97.515to 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 L97.515 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

L97.515 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of right foot with muscle involvement without evidence of necrosis. A long-lasting open sore on the right foot (not from pressure) where muscle is involved but not dead, affecting an area other than the heel or sole. L97.515 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, L97.515 maps to Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure (HCC 380) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.426. The V24 model used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition mapped L97.515 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.

Distinguish from L97.513 by confirming muscle involvement WITHOUT necrosis in the clinical documentation. Because L97.515 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 L97.515 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Distinguish from L97.513 by confirming muscle involvement WITHOUT necrosis in the clinical documentation
•Verify right foot and non-heel/non-sole location

Clinical Significance

This ulcer extends to the muscle layer but without evidence of tissue death, indicating deep but potentially viable wound tissue. While serious, the absence of necrosis suggests preserved vascular supply and better potential for healing with appropriate wound care and treatment of underlying conditions. Accurate laterality documentation (right other part of foot) is essential for proper code assignment and tracking wound progression over time.

Documentation Requirements

✓Specific anatomic location documented as other part of right foot
✓Confirmation that the ulcer is non-pressure in etiology (not caused by pressure/immobility)
✓Chronicity established — ulcer present for extended duration or described as chronic
✓Current wound assessment including size (length x width x depth in centimeters)
✓Documentation that muscle tissue is involved/exposed in the wound
✓Explicit statement that there is NO evidence of muscle necrosis
✓Assessment of muscle viability
✓Underlying etiology or contributing factors (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency)
✓Current treatment plan including wound care regimen

Commonly Confused Codes

•L97.513: Muscle necrosis at same location; use when muscle tissue is necrotic (dead), not just involved
•L97.516: Bone involvement without necrosis at same location; use when bone (not muscle) is involved
•L97.512: Fat layer exposed at same location; use when ulcer depth reaches only the fat layer
•L89.xxx (Pressure ulcer codes): Pressure ulcers use the L89 category; L97 is specifically for NON-pressure chronic ulcers
•L97.525: Same severity but LEFT side; verify laterality matches documentation
•E11.621 (Type 2 diabetes mellitus with foot ulcer): If ulcer is due to diabetes, code the diabetic complication first and the L97 code as an additional code to specify site and severity