S59 vs T20
S59 (Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm) 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. S59 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
| S59Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm | T20Burn and corrosion of head, face, and neck | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header Report instead: S59.001A, S59.001D, S59.001G, S59.001K, S59.001P | 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 | Other and unspecified injuries of elbow and forearm is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S59). | 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 each code from subcategories S59.0, S59.1, and S59.2 | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T20 |
| Includes | — | 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 |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources