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L97 vs L98.A313

L97 (Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified) compared with L98.A313 (Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right hand with necrosis of muscle), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because L98.A313 lists L97 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

Title wording and billing status.The titles share “Non-pressure chronic ulcer of”; L97 says “lower limb, not elsewhere classified” where L98.A313 says “right hand with necrosis of muscle”. L97 is a non-billable header; L98.A313 is billable.

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.L98.A313 lists L97 under Excludes2: “ulcer of lower limb NEC (L97.-)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.L98.A313’s tabular entry: “ulcer of lower limb NEC (L97.-)”. The note covers L97.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.L97 is a non-billable header, but L98.A313 is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

L98.A313
Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right hand with necrosis of muscle
↔
L97
Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.L98.A313 carries an Excludes2 note covering L97: “ulcer of lower limb NEC (L97.-)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

Similar descriptions do not make codes interchangeable. The documentation and the official instructions decide which code applies.

Official descriptionDiffers
L97

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified

L98.A313

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right hand with necrosis of muscle

StatusDiffers
L97
Non-billable header

A header is not reported on a claim; a code beneath it is.

Report instead: L97.101, L97.102, L97.103, L97.104, L97.105

L98.A313
Billable
Excludes2Differs
L97
  • pressure ulcer (pressure area) (L89.-)
  • skin infections (L00-L08)
  • specific infections classified to A00-B99
L98.A313
  • gangrene (I96)
  • pressure ulcer (pressure area) (L89.-)
  • skin infections (L00-L08)
  • specific infections classified to A00-B99
  • ulcer of lower limb NEC (L97.-)
  • varicose ulcer (I83.0-I83.93)
Code firstDiffers
L97
  • any associated underlying condition, such as:
  • any associated gangrene (I96)
L98.A313

None at this code

CategoryDiffers
L97

Is itself a category

L98.A313

L98 Other disorders of skin and subcutaneous tissue, not elsewhere classified

ChapterSame for both

L00-L99 — Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (L00-L99)

IncludesDiffers
L97
  • chronic ulcer of skin of lower limb NOS
  • non-healing ulcer of skin
  • non-infected sinus of skin
  • trophic ulcer NOS
L98.A313

None at this code

No Excludes1, Use additional code, Code also and 7th character note at either code.

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on. In a row that differs, notes every code shares are dimmed.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources