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T33.3XXD vs T68

T33.3XXD (Superficial frostbite of abdominal wall, lower back and pelvis, subsequent encounter) compared with T68 (Hypothermia), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 20, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because T33.3XXD lists T68 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and billing status.T33.3XXD is “Superficial frostbite of abdominal wall, lower back and pelvis, subsequent encounter”; T68 is “Hypothermia”. T68 is a non-billable header; T33.3XXD is billable.

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.T33.3XXD lists T68 under Excludes2: “hypothermia and other effects of reduced temperature (T68, T69.-)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. T68 carries 3 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.T33.3XXD’s tabular entry: “hypothermia and other effects of reduced temperature (T68, T69.-)”. The note covers T68.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.T68 is a non-billable header, but T33.3XXD is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

T33.3XXD
Superficial frostbite of abdominal wall, lower back and pelvis, subsequent encounter
↔
T68
Hypothermia

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.T33.3XXD carries an Excludes2 note covering T68: “hypothermia and other effects of reduced temperature (T68, T69.-)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

T33.3XXDSuperficial frostbite of abdominal wall, lower back and pelvis, subsequent encounterT68Hypothermia
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: T68.XXXA, T68.XXXD, T68.XXXS

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 frostbite of abdominal wall, lower back and pelvis, subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T33.3XXD).Hypothermia is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (T68).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T33The appropriate 7th character is to be added to code T68
Includes
frostbite with partial thickness skin loss
Accidental hypothermia
Hypothermia NOS
Excludes1—
hypothermia following anesthesia (T88.51)
hypothermia not associated with low environmental temperature (R68.0)
hypothermia of newborn (P80.-)
Excludes2
hypothermia and other effects of reduced temperature (T68, T69.-)
frostbite (T33-T34)
Use additional code—
code to identify source of exposure:
Exposure to excessive cold of man-made origin (W93)
Exposure to excessive cold of natural origin (X31)
Code also—
, if applicable, place of occurrence, such as:
highway rest stop (Y92.523)
school (private) (public) (state) as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.21-)
service areas as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.52-)
single-family non-institutional (private) house as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.01-)
transport vehicle as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.81-)

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources