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S90.456A vs S90.456D

S90.456A (Superficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), initial encounter) compared with S90.456D (Superficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), subsequent encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. S90.456A and S90.456D code the same injury at a different phase of treatment.

Relationship

Review

Encounter relationship

S90.456A
Initial encounter
Superficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), initial encounter
S90.456D
Subsequent encounter
Superficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), 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. S90.456A and S90.456D 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

S90.456ASuperficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), initial encounterS90.456DSuperficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), 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)
DefinitionSuperficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S90.456A).Superficial foreign body, unspecified lesser toe(s), subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S90.456D).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S90The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S90

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