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T15.81XA vs T15.81XD

T15.81XA (Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, initial encounter) compared with T15.81XD (Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, subsequent encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. T15.81XA and T15.81XD code the same injury at a different phase of treatment. MedCoder-derived

Relationship

Review

Encounter relationship

T15.81XA
Initial encounter
Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, initial encounter
↔
T15.81XD
Subsequent encounter
Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, 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. T15.81XA and T15.81XD 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

T15.81XAForeign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, initial encounterT15.81XDForeign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, 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)
DefinitionForeign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T15.81XA).Foreign body in other and multiple parts of external eye, right eye, subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T15.81XD).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T15
Use additional code
code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-)
code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-)
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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