S12 vs T20
S12 (Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck) compared with T20 (Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck), 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. S12 carries an Excludes2 note covering T20: “burns and corrosions (T20-T32)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| S12Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck | T20Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header Report instead: S12.000A, S12.000B, S12.000D, S12.000G, S12.000K | Non-billable header Report instead: T20.00XA, T20.00XD, T20.00XS, T20.011A, T20.011D |
| Classification | S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) | S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) |
| Definition | Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S12). | Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (T20). |
| 7th character | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from subcategories S12.0-S12.6 | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T20 |
| Includes | fracture of cervical neural arch fracture of cervical spine fracture of cervical spinous process fracture of cervical transverse process | burns and corrosions of first degree [erythema] burns and corrosions of second degree [blisters][epidermal loss] burns and corrosions of third degree [deep necrosis of underlying tissue] [full- thickness skin loss] |
| Use additional code | — | code from category T31 or T32 to identify extent of body surface involved |
| Code first | any associated cervical spinal cord injury (S14.0, S14.1-) | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources