W38 vs Y37
W38 (Explosion and rupture of other specified pressurized devices) compared with Y37 (Military operations), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.
Can these codes be reported together?
No — do not report together. W38 carries an Excludes1 note covering Y37: “exposure to inanimate mechanical forces involving military or war operations (Y36.-, Y37.-)”
Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
Side by side
| W38Explosion and rupture of other specified pressurized devices | Y37Military operations | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Non-billable header | Non-billable header Report instead: Y37.000A, Y37.000D, Y37.000S, Y37.001A, Y37.001D |
| Classification | V00-Y99 — External Causes of Morbidity (V00-Y99) | V00-Y99 — External Causes of Morbidity (V00-Y99) |
| Definition | Explosion and rupture of other specified pressurized devices is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (W38). | Military operations is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (Y37). |
| 7th character | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to code W38 | The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category Y37 |
| Includes | — | injuries to military personnel and civilians occurring during peacetime on military property and during routine military exercises and operations |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources