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W26 vs W44.C2XD

W26 (Contact with other sharp objects) compared with W44.C2XD (Intact glass entering into or through a natural orifice, subsequent encounter), 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. W44.C2XD carries an Excludes2 note covering W26: “contact with other sharp objects (W26)”

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

Side by side

W26Contact with other sharp objectsW44.C2XDIntact glass entering into or through a natural orifice, subsequent encounter
Billing statusNon-billable header

Report instead: W26.0XXA, W26.0XXD, W26.0XXS, W26.1XXA, W26.1XXD

Billable
ClassificationV00-Y99 — External Causes of Morbidity (V00-Y99)V00-Y99 — External Causes of Morbidity (V00-Y99)
DefinitionContact with other sharp objects is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (W26).Intact glass entering into or through a natural orifice, subsequent encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (W44.C2D).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W26The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W44
Includes
Intact glass bottle entering into or through a natural orifice

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