A49

A49: Bacterial infection of unspecified site

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

A49 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for bacterial infection of unspecified site. It cannot be billed on its own: choose one of the more specific child codes below.

Excludes1: never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

bacterial agents as the cause of diseases classified elsewhere (B95-B96)
meningococcal infection NOS (A39.9)
rickettsial infection NOS (A79.9)
spirochetal infection NOS (A69.9)

Excludes2: not included here, but may coexist

The excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient can have both. You may code both.

chlamydial infection NOS (A74.9)

Other codes that can never be billed with A49

Their own Excludes1 notes name this code, so the conflict is not listed above.

Z16Resistance to antimicrobial drugs

Risk adjustment

No CMS-HCC V28 category: this code does not change a RAF score.

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.

Code to one of these instead A49

6 child codes. Green means billable.