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S56.399A vs S56.399D

S56.399A (Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, initial encounter) compared with S56.399D (Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, subsequent encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. S56.399A and S56.399D code the same injury at a different phase of treatment.

Relationship

Review

Encounter relationship

S56.399A
Initial encounter
Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, initial encounter
S56.399D
Subsequent encounter
Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, subsequent encounter

Same underlying diagnosis, different encounter phase.

The 7th character records the phase of care for the encounter being coded, so a single encounter takes one of these characters, not several. Review whether both phases belong on the same episode of care.

Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.C.19.a

Can these codes be reported together?

Same injury, other encounter phase. S56.399A and S56.399D 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

S56.399AOther injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, initial encounterS56.399DOther injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, subsequent encounter
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationS00-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)
DefinitionOther injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S56.399A).Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of unspecified thumb at forearm level, subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S56.399D).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S56The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S56

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources