Z97.16 Presence of artificial legs, bilateral (complete) (partial)

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting.

Applies from Z97 Presence of other devices

Excludes1 (never code together)

• complications of internal prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)

Excludes2 (not included here)

• fitting and adjustment of prosthetic and other devices (Z44-Z46)
• presence of cerebrospinal fluid drainage device (Z98.2)

Risk adjustment (HCC)

• CMS-HCC V28: HCC 409 — Amputation Status, Lower Limb/Amputation Complications

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 564-566 in MDC 08.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• V43.7 Limb replaced by other means (approximate)

Medicare Code Edits (MCE v43.1 (April 2026))

• Unacceptable principal diagnosis: These codes describe a circumstance which influences care but is not a current illness or injury, or capture only an underlying condition, and are unacceptable as principal diagnosis.

Code annotations containing back-references to Z97.16

Back-references to Z97

• Type 2 Excludes: M96 Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of musculoskeletal system, not elsewhere classified ("presence of functional implants and other devices (Z96-Z97)")
• Type 1 Excludes: Z18 Retained foreign body fragments ("organ or tissue replaced by means other than transplant (Z96.-, Z97.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: Z44 Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device ("presence of prosthetic device (Z97.-)")
• Type 2 Excludes: Z45.018 Encounter for adjustment and management of other part of cardiac pacemaker ("presence of prosthetic and other devices (Z95.1-Z95.5, Z95.811-Z97)")
• Type 2 Excludes: Z46 Encounter for fitting and adjustment of other devices ("presence of prosthetic and other devices (Z95-Z97)")
• Type 2 Excludes: Z78 Other specified health status ("postprocedural status (Z93-Z99)")
• Type 2 Excludes: Z87.7 Personal history of (corrected) congenital malformations ("presence of other devices (Z97.-)")

Diagnosis Index entries for Z97.16

• Presence (of) › artificial › limb (complete) (partial) › leg › bilateral

Nearby codes

• Z97.11 Presence of artificial right arm (complete) (partial)
• Z97.12 Presence of artificial left arm (complete) (partial)
• Z97.13 Presence of artificial right leg (complete) (partial)
• Z97.14 Presence of artificial left leg (complete) (partial)
• Z97.15 Presence of artificial arms, bilateral (complete) (partial)
• Z97.16 Presence of artificial legs, bilateral (complete) (partial) (this code)
• Z97.2 Presence of dental prosthetic device (complete) (partial)
• Z97.3 Presence of spectacles and contact lenses
• Z97.4 Presence of external hearing-aid
• Z97.5 Presence of (intrauterine) contraceptive device
• Z97.8 Presence of other specified devices