S23.9XXA vs S23.9XXS
S23.9XXA (Sprain of unspecified parts of thorax, initial encounter) compared with S23.9XXS (Sprain of unspecified parts of thorax, sequela), from the official CMS tabular data. S23.9XXA and S23.9XXS code the same injury at a different phase of treatment.
Can these codes be reported together?
Same injury, other encounter phase. S23.9XXA and S23.9XXS code the same injury at a different phase of treatment, set by the 7th character.
The 7th character records the type of care given at the encounter being coded (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.C.19.a), so one encounter takes one of these, not both.
Side by side
| S23.9XXASprain of unspecified parts of thorax, initial encounter | S23.9XXSSprain of unspecified parts of thorax, sequela | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| 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 | Sprain of unspecified parts of thorax, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S23.9A). | Sprain of unspecified parts of thorax, sequela is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S23.9S). |
| 7th character | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S23 | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S23 |
| Includes | avulsion of joint or ligament of thorax laceration of cartilage, joint or ligament of thorax sprain of cartilage, joint or ligament of thorax traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of thorax | avulsion of joint or ligament of thorax laceration of cartilage, joint or ligament of thorax sprain of cartilage, joint or ligament of thorax traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of thorax |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources