ICD-10-CM 2027
ICD-10 code for skin melanoma
From the official ICD-10-CM alphabetic index entry “Melanoma (malignant) › skin”. Page updated September 29, 2026.
About coding skin melanoma
The ICD-10-CM code for skin melanoma is C43.9 (Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified). The official index lists 76 more specific codes, so check the documentation for details such as type, cause, site or severity before settling on C43.9.
Within C43, choose C43.9 (unspecified) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: lip (C43.0), eyelid, including canthus (C43.1), ear and external auricular canal (C43.2), other and unspecified parts of face (C43.3), scalp and neck (C43.4), trunk (C43.5), upper limb, including shoulder (C43.6), lower limb, including hip (C43.7) and 1 more.
It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.
In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 595 (Major Skin Disorders with MCC, relative weight 2.0239) and DRG 596 (Major Skin Disorders without MCC, relative weight 1.1071), in MDC 09 (Diseases and Disorders of the Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.
More specific skin melanoma codes (official index)
- abdominal wall C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- ala nasi C43.31 — Malignant melanoma of nose
- ankle C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- anus, anal (skin) C43.51 — Malignant melanoma of anal skin
- arm C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- auditory canal (external) C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- auricle (ear) C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- auricular canal (external) C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- axilla, axillary fold C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- back C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- breast (female) (male) C43.52 — Malignant melanoma of skin of breast
- brow C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- buttock C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- canthus (eye) C43.1 — Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus
- cheek (external) C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- chest wall C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- chin C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- ear (external) C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- elbow C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- external meatus (ear) C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- eyebrow C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- eyelid (lower) (upper) C43.1 — Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus
- face C43.30 — Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face
- specified NEC C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- female genital organ (external) NEC C51.9 — Malignant neoplasm of vulva, unspecified
- finger C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- flank C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- foot C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- forearm C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- forehead C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- foreskin C60.0 — Malignant neoplasm of prepuce
- glabella C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- gluteal region C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- groin C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- hand C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- heel C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- helix C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- hip C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- interscapular region C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- jaw (external) C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- knee C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- labium C51.9 — Malignant neoplasm of vulva, unspecified
- majus C51.0 — Malignant neoplasm of labium majus
- minus C51.1 — Malignant neoplasm of labium minus
- leg C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- lip (lower) (upper) C43.0 — Malignant melanoma of lip
- lower limb NEC C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- male genital organ (external) NEC C63.9 — Malignant neoplasm of male genital organ, unspecified
- nail
- finger C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- toe C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- nasolabial groove C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- nates C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- neck C43.4 — Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck
- nose (external) C43.31 — Malignant melanoma of nose
- overlapping site C43.8 — Malignant melanoma of overlapping sites of skin
- palpebra C43.1 — Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus
- penis C60.9 — Malignant neoplasm of penis, unspecified
- perianal skin C43.51 — Malignant melanoma of anal skin
- perineum C43.51 — Malignant melanoma of anal skin
- pinna C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal
- popliteal fossa or space C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- prepuce C60.0 — Malignant neoplasm of prepuce
- pudendum C51.9 — Malignant neoplasm of vulva, unspecified
- scalp C43.4 — Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck
- scrotum C63.2 — Malignant neoplasm of scrotum
- shoulder C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- skin NEC C43.9 — Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified
- submammary fold C43.52 — Malignant melanoma of skin of breast
- temple C43.39 — Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
- thigh C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- toe C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip
- trunk NEC C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- umbilicus C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk
- upper limb NEC C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder
- vulva C51.9 — Malignant neoplasm of vulva, unspecified
- overlapping sites C51.8 — Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of vulva
Common questions about skin melanoma ICD-10 codes
What is the ICD-10 code for skin melanoma?
- C43.9 — Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified. More specific codes apply when the documentation supports them: C43.59, C43.31, C43.7, C43.51 and others below.
What is the ICD-10 code for abdominal wall skin melanoma?
- C43.59 — Malignant melanoma of other part of trunk.
What is the ICD-10 code for ala nasi skin melanoma?
- C43.31 — Malignant melanoma of nose.
What is the ICD-10 code for ankle skin melanoma?
- C43.7 — Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip (header code; choose a more specific subcode).
What is the ICD-10 code for arm skin melanoma?
- C43.6 — Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder (header code; choose a more specific subcode).
What is the ICD-10 code for auditory canal skin melanoma?
- C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal (header code; choose a more specific subcode).
What is the ICD-10 code for auricle skin melanoma?
- C43.2 — Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal (header code; choose a more specific subcode).
Is C43.9 billable?
- Yes. C43.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).
Can C43.9 be used as a principal diagnosis?
- Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict C43.9 as a principal diagnosis.
Is C43.9 a CC or MCC?
- No. C43.9 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.