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S78.121A vs S78.121D

S78.121A (Partial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, initial encounter) compared with S78.121D (Partial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, subsequent encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. S78.121A and S78.121D code the same injury at a different phase of treatment.

Relationship

Review

Encounter relationship

S78.121A
Initial encounter
Partial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, initial encounter
↔
S78.121D
Subsequent encounter
Partial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, 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. S78.121A and S78.121D 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

S78.121APartial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, initial encounterS78.121DPartial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, 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)
DefinitionPartial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S78.121A).Partial traumatic amputation at level between right hip and knee, subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S78.121D).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S78The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S78
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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources