L98.412

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of buttock with fat layer exposed

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 383 — Diabetic Skin Ulcer and Severe Skin Conditions

0.517

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

What This Code Means

A chronic open sore on the buttock where the damage extends through the skin and exposes the fatty tissue layer beneath.

Coding Tips

•Distinguish from pressure ulcers by documenting non-pressure etiology in the medical record
•Ensure documentation clearly indicates fat layer exposure to justify this specific severity level

Clinical Significance

Non-pressure chronic ulcers of the buttock indicate ongoing tissue breakdown from non-pressure etiologies such as venous insufficiency, arterial disease, or inflammatory conditions. This code captures a superficial severity level (with fat layer exposed), which still reflects significant wound care needs and underlying vascular or systemic disease. Accurate capture is critical for risk adjustment as it reflects patient complexity and anticipated resource utilization.

Documentation Requirements

✓Provider documentation of the ulcer as chronic (present for extended duration, not acute)
✓Anatomical location clearly specified as buttock
✓Confirmation that the ulcer is non-pressure in etiology (e.g., venous, arterial, inflammatory, or other documented cause)
✓Description of wound bed characteristics and tissue involvement depth
✓Documentation of fat layer (subcutaneous tissue) exposure visible in wound bed
✓Wound measurements (length, width, depth) and assessment of wound edges and surrounding tissue
✓Current treatment plan including wound care interventions

Commonly Confused Codes

L89.3xx — Pressure ulcer of buttock; use when ulcer is caused by sustained pressure, not for non-pressure etiologies L98.42x — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of back; differs by anatomical location (back vs. buttock)L98.49x — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other sites; use only when location does not match buttock, back, or specified sites L97.x — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower leg; different anatomical site entirely

Code Hierarchy

└L98Other disorders of skin and subcutaneous tissue, not elsewhere classified └L98.4Non-pressure chronic ulcer of skin, not elsewhere classified └L98.41Non-pressure chronic ulcer of buttock └L98.412Non-pressure chronic ulcer of buttock with fat layer exposed

└L98.412Non-pressure chronic ulcer of buttock with fat layer exposed