A41.9 vs A48.3
A41.9 (Sepsis, unspecified organism) compared with A48.3 (Toxic shock syndrome), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
Yes, when both are documented. A41.9 carries an Excludes2 note covering A48.3: “toxic shock syndrome (A48.3)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
No — do not report together. A48.3 carries an Excludes1 note covering A41.9: “sepsis NOS (A41.9)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| A41.9Sepsis, unspecified organism | A48.3Toxic shock syndrome | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) | A00-B99 — Certain Infectious and Parasitic Diseases (A00-B99) |
| Definition | Sepsis, unspecified organism is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (A41.9). | Toxic shock syndrome is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (A48.3). |
| Includes | Septicemia NOS | — |
| Use additional code | — | code to identify the organism (B95, B96) |
| Code first | , if applicable, postprocedural sepsis (T81.44-) sepsis due to central venous catheter (T80.211-) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources