A41.02
Sepsis due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
A41.02 (also written A4102) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for sepsis due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. It is one of the 15 codes in category A41 (Other sepsis). The Alphabetic Index lists it under 3 entries. Its coding notes include a Code first instruction, a Use additional code instruction, 4 Excludes1 entries and 18 Excludes2 entries.
Guidelines tips
From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.
Sepsis is coded to the underlying systemic infection, with A41.9 as the default. Urosepsis has no default code and the provider must be queried. R65.2 needs documented severe sepsis or associated organ dysfunction.
When the infection has a combination code that includes MRSA, B95.62 is not added.
Code first
If the underlying condition listed here is present and known, sequence it first.
- , if applicable, postprocedural sepsis (T81.44-)
- sepsis due to central venous catheter (T80.211-)
- sepsis during labor (O75.3)
- sepsis following abortion, ectopic or molar pregnancy (O03.37, O03.87, O04.87, O07.37, O08.82)
- sepsis following immunization (T88.0-)
- sepsis following infusion, transfusion or therapeutic injection (T80.22-, T80.29-)
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
- sepsis (due to) (in) actinomycotic (A42.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) anthrax (A22.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) candidal (B37.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) Erysipelothrix (A26.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) extraintestinal yersiniosis (A28.2)
- sepsis (due to) (in) gonococcal (A54.86)
- sepsis (due to) (in) herpesviral (B00.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) listerial (A32.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) melioidosis (A24.1)
- sepsis (due to) (in) meningococcal (A39.2-A39.4)
- sepsis (due to) (in) plague (A20.7)
- sepsis (due to) (in) tularemia (A21.7)
- toxic shock syndrome (A48.3)
Also from chapter/block level (5 notes)
- carrier or suspected carrier of infectious disease (Z22.-)
- certain localized infections - see body system-related chapters
- infectious and parasitic diseases complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O98.-)
- infectious and parasitic diseases specific to the perinatal period (P35-P39)
- influenza and other acute respiratory infections (J00-J22)
Care settings
How CMS programs treat this code. These are CMS claim edits and list entries, not coverage or eligibility rules.
Home Health Primary
Accepted as the primary (principal) diagnosis on a home health claim. The Home Health Grouper assigns it to the MMTA - Infectious Disease, Neoplasms, and Blood-Forming Diseases clinical group.
Source: CMS Home Health Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective October 1, 2026Hospital MCC
Counts as a major complication or comorbidity (MCC) when reported as a secondary diagnosis on an inpatient claim. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 46 codes in its exclusion list. Some MS-DRGs also ignore a CC or MCC that defines the DRG.
Source: CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, effective October 1, 2026, Appendix CIncludes
Further defines or gives examples of the content of the category.
Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
- diseases generally recognized as communicable or transmissible
Alphabetic Index terms
Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 3 entries