M79.5 vs T16
M79.5 (Residual foreign body in soft tissue) compared with T16 (Foreign body in ear), from the official CMS tabular data. Both may be reported when both conditions are documented (Excludes2).
Can these codes be reported together?
Yes, when both are documented. T16 carries an Excludes2 note covering M79.5: “residual foreign body in soft tissue (M79.5)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| M79.5Residual foreign body in soft tissue | T16Foreign body in ear | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Non-billable header Report instead: T16.1XXA, T16.1XXD, T16.1XXS, T16.2XXA, T16.2XXD |
| Classification | M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99) | S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) |
| Definition | Residual foreign body in soft tissue is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M79.5). | Foreign body in ear is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (T16). |
| 7th character | — | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T16 |
| Includes | — | foreign body in auditory canal |
| Use additional code | — | code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-) |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources