S40 vs S59
S40 (Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm) compared with S59 (Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm), 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. S40 carries an Excludes2 note covering S59: “injuries of elbow (S50-S59)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| S40Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm | S59Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header Report instead: S40.011A, S40.011D, S40.011S, S40.012A, S40.012D | Non-billable header Report instead: S59.001A, S59.001D, S59.001G, S59.001K, S59.001P |
| 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 | Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S40). | Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S59). |
| 7th character | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S40 | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategories S59.0, S59.1, and S59.2 |
| Includes | injuries of axilla injuries of scapular region | — |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources