L03.312: Cellulitis of back [any part except buttock and flank]

Description revised · FY2027

Billable: use this code on claims.

• Description changed effective October 1, 2026. Before that it read: Cellulitis of back [any part except buttock].

Code breakdown

Coding notes

Excludes2 (from L03.31)

• cellulitis of anal and rectal regions (K61.-)
• cellulitis of breast NOS (N61.0)
• cellulitis of female external genital organs (N76.4)
• cellulitis of male external genital organs (N48.2, N49.-)
• omphalitis of newborn (P38.-)
• puerperal cellulitis of breast (O91.2)

Excludes2 (from L03)

• cellulitis of anal and rectal region (K61.-)
• cellulitis of external auditory canal (H60.1)
• cellulitis of eyelid (H00.0)
• cellulitis of female external genital organs (N76.4)
• cellulitis of lacrimal apparatus (H04.3)
• cellulitis of male external genital organs (N48.2, N49.-)
• cellulitis of mouth (K12.2)
• cellulitis of nose (J34.0)
• eosinophilic cellulitis [Wells] (L98.3)
• febrile neutrophilic dermatosis [Sweet] (L98.2)
• lymphangitis (chronic) (subacute) (I89.1)

Medicare coverage

L03.312 is listed as a covered diagnosis in 9 Medicare billing and coding articles:

• A53058 Billing and Coding: Home Health Physical Therapy
• A55909 Billing and Coding: Wound Care
• A56421 Billing and Coding: CT of the Abdomen and Pelvis
• A56766 Billing and Coding: Incision and Drainage (I&D) of Abscess of Skin, Subcutaneous and Accessory Structures
• A57044 Billing and Coding: Removal of Benign Skin Lesions
• A57161 Billing and Coding: Benign Skin Lesion Removal (Excludes Actinic Keratosis, and Mohs)
• A57206 Billing and Coding: Lumbar MRI
• A57311 Billing and Coding: Physical Therapy - Home Health
• A58565 Billing and Coding: Wound and Ulcer Care

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All FY2027 ICD-10-CM changes

ICD-10-CM codes and descriptions are from the CMS and NCHS code files. Coverage is from the CMS Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles.