S40.87 vs S50
S40.87 (Other superficial bite of upper arm) compared with S50 (Superficial injury 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. S40.87 carries an Excludes2 note covering S50: “injuries of elbow (S50-S59)”
Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.
Side by side
| S40.87Other superficial bite of upper arm | S50Superficial injury of elbow and forearm | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header Report instead: S40.871A, S40.871D, S40.871S, S40.872A, S40.872D | Non-billable header Report instead: S50.00XA, S50.00XD, S50.00XS, S50.01XA, S50.01XD |
| 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 | Other superficial bite of upper arm is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S40.87). | Superficial injury of elbow and forearm is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S50). |
| 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 category S50 |
| 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