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S24.154A ICD-10-CM Code: Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter

Compare with another codeCheck this code on a claim

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

7th character
Required — see the character table on this page
Tabular directives
3 inclusion terms · 12 Excludes2 · 4 code-also instructions
Risk adjustment
CMS-HCC V28: 1 category · CMS-HCC V22 category 72

Billable · FY2027A valid, specific ICD-10-CM code, reportable for dates of service in FY2027.

What you need to know

Source: CMS/NCHS Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes, quoted. From the CMS/NCHS tabular list for the release in force. A note the category or block publishes applies to this code too; the Instructions section marks which is which.

Code alsoMay be needed with this code
  • any associated:
  • fracture of thoracic vertebra (S22.0-)
  • open wound of thorax (S21.-)
  • transient paralysis (R29.5)
Excludes2Not included here; may be reported together
  • injury of brachial plexus (S14.3)
  • burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
  • effects of foreign body in bronchus (T17.5)
  • effects of foreign body in esophagus (T18.1)

+8 more in Instructions

IncludesWhat this code covers
  • injuries of breast
  • injuries of chest (wall)
  • injuries of interscapular area

Most relevant related codes MedCoder-derived

Read off the official notes above and this code’s own position in the tabular list. Which to report is a documentation question; Compare shows the two side by side.

CompareCheck ClaimView Related Codes

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 052 — SPINAL DISORDERS AND INJURIES WITH CC/MCC (MDC 01)
  • MS-DRG 053 — SPINAL DISORDERS AND INJURIES WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 01)
  • MS-DRG 963 — OTHER MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA WITH MCC (MDC 24)
  • MS-DRG 964 — OTHER MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA WITH CC (MDC 24)
  • MS-DRG 965 — OTHER MULTIPLE SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 24)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Risk Adjustment (CMS-HCC)

Payment categories this diagnosis maps to under CMS-HCC V28, payment year 2026.

  • HCC 182 — Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries

Other models: CMS-HCC V22 HCC 72

Risk scores depend on the enrollee's full accepted diagnosis set and segment; a category mapping alone does not determine payment.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for S24.154A in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2027Effective: October 1, 2026

Trace:FY2027 changesChange historyRelease, file and checksum

Notes without a marker are published on S24.154A itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Includes

Conditions the official ICD-10-CM tabular list includes under this code.

  • injuries of breast
  • injuries of chest (wall)
  • injuries of interscapular area

Source: inherited from S20-S29

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

Code Also

Additional codes that may be required to fully describe the encounter.

  • any associated:
  • fracture of thoracic vertebra (S22.0-)
  • open wound of thorax (S21.-)
  • transient paralysis (R29.5)

Source: inherited from S24

7th Character Guide

"The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S24"

  • A — initial encounter (this page’s code)
  • D — subsequent encounter
  • S — sequela

How the encounter character is assigned. “Initial encounter” means the patient is receiving active treatment for the condition — it is not limited to the first visit, and a different or new provider giving active treatment still assigns it. “Subsequent encounter” covers care during the healing or recovery phase after active treatment. “Sequela” is for complications or conditions that arise as a direct result of the original condition.

ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, Section I.C.19.a (paraphrased by MedCoder).

Variant codes in this family

S24.154A, S24.154D, S24.154S

Character meanings are CMS's official 7th-character extensions for this family, as carried in each variant code's official description; variant codes are registry rows. The explanation of how the encounter character is assigned is MedCoder editorial, distinct from the official content above it.

Coder workflow for S24.154A

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code S24.154A

  1. “Other” (NEC) means the condition is specified in the record but no dedicated code captures it. Confirm the documented form is not one a sibling code names before settling on S24.154A; if the record states no specifics at all, the unspecified sibling applies instead. “Other” codes are for documented conditions the classification gives no specific code; “unspecified” codes are for records lacking the detail (Guidelines I.A.9.a, I.A.9.b).

    See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

  2. A 7th character is required in this family. Confirm the documented encounter: initial (active treatment), subsequent (healing or recovery phase), or sequela. This page’s code carries “A”. “Initial” means active treatment, not the first visit (Guidelines I.C.19.a).

    See the 7th Character Guide · Guide: 7th characters: initial, subsequent, sequela →

  3. Confirm the injury type, the anatomical site at the most specific level documented, laterality where the family codes it, and the encounter for the 7th character. Each injury is coded separately unless the classification provides a combination code, and a superficial injury is not coded when a more severe injury of the same site is documented. Injury chapter guidelines (Guidelines I.C.19.b, I.C.19.b.1).

    Guide: 7th characters: initial, subsequent, sequela →

Choose the right path

  1. Is the encounter phase documented — active treatment, healing or recovery, or a sequela?
    Yes → Assign the matching 7th character; the variant codes are in the 7th Character Guide.
    No → The code is invalid without its 7th character — query for the missing element.

Consider S24.154A. Then review the Code Also note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
Anatomical site
At the most specific level the record states; a site the classification separates cannot be assumed from a procedure or a measurement.
Encounter type
Active treatment, healing or recovery phase, or sequela — the basis of the 7th character (Guidelines I.C.19.a).
External cause, place and activity
For the external cause codes reported with the injury or poisoning, where documented (Guidelines I.C.20.a).
Any detail beyond this code’s title
What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes2 — not part of S24.154A(12 notes)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in S24.154A. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareS14.3, T17.5, T18.1, T17.8, T17.4, T63.4

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

  • Code Also — related condition(4 notes)

    Coding workflow: Review the related condition when both are documented and the instruction applies. A Code Also note does not fix sequencing; the order follows the circumstances of the encounter.

    ReviewS22.0, S21, R29.5

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.17

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: The patient returns during the healing or recovery phase after active treatment of the same condition.

Coding question: Which 7th character applies?

Path: Review the official 7th-character definitions for this family in the 7th Character Guide.

Reason: “Initial encounter” means active treatment, not the first visit; care during recovery takes “subsequent encounter”, and a complication arising from the original condition takes “sequela” (Guidelines I.C.19.a).

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse S24.154A with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of S24.154A — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

  • S24.154D— Encounter relationship (Review)

    Same underlying diagnosis, different encounter phase.

    The same diagnosis at a different phase of care; one encounter takes one 7th character.

    What moves you there: Documentation of a subsequent encounter moves the case to S24.154D.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs S24.154D →

  • S24.154S— Encounter relationship (Review)

    Same underlying diagnosis, different encounter phase.

    The same diagnosis at a different phase of care; one encounter takes one 7th character.

    What moves you there: Documentation of a sequela moves the case to S24.154S.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs S24.154S →

  • S14.3— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of injury of brachial plexus adds S14.3; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs S14.3 →

  • T20— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of burns and corrosions adds T20; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs T20 →

  • T32— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of burns and corrosions adds T32; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs T32 →

  • T17.5— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of effects of foreign body in bronchus adds T17.5; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: S24.154A vs T17.5 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Coding context

Guidelines, coding notes, decision aids, relationships (with MS-DRG and CCSR classification), hierarchy, HCC, coverage and the context map: what a coder reaches for after the core. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Code Overview

Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S24.154A).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Decision Points

The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.

  1. A 7th character applies in this family. Confirm the documented encounter matches the character assigned. See the official 7th-character definitions and this code’s variants
  2. 4 Code Also notes — a second code may apply; the guidelines leave its sequencing to the circumstances of the encounter. See the Code Also notes
  3. 12 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes

Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.

Verify Before Coding

  • MCC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2027). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder-derived relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name S24.154A or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 2 Code First instructions across 2 chapters: R29.5 — Transient paralysis (via S24.1.-), S22 — Fracture of rib(s), sternum and thoracic spine (via S24.1.-).

Each of these codes carries a Code First note naming this condition — when that code is reported, THIS code is sequenced first, ahead of it.

Referenced by 4 Code Also instructions: S21 — Open wound of thorax (via S24.1.-), S23.1 — Subluxation and dislocation of thoracic vertebra (via S24.1.-), S31 — Open wound of abdomen, lower back, pelvis and external genitals (via S24.1.-), S33.1 — Subluxation and dislocation of lumbar vertebra (via S24.1.-).

These codes suggest coding this condition alongside when both are present.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2027)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2027 MS-DRG: MCC — Major Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 379 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list. Does not count toward severity when the stay groups to DRGs 957-959 (Other O.R. Procedures for Multiple Significant Trauma); DRGs 963-965 (Other Multiple Significant Trauma).

Named in the grouper logic of 5 MS-DRGs: DRG 052 (MDC 01), DRG 053 (MDC 01), DRG 963 (MDC 24), DRG 964 (MDC 24), DRG 965 (MDC 24).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):INJ009 — Spinal cord injury (SCI), initial encounter (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same injury, other encounter phase

Same injury, coded at a different phase of treatment via the 7th character.

S24.154D — Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounterCompare S24.154A vs S24.154D →, S24.154S — Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, sequelaCompare S24.154A vs S24.154S →

Same CMS-HCC risk category (V28)

CMS maps these diagnoses to the same Hierarchical Condition Category (Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries) for risk-adjusted payment.

S24.144A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.144D — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.149A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.149D — Brown-Séquard syndrome at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.151A — Other incomplete lesion at T1 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.151D — Other incomplete lesion at T1 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.152A — Other incomplete lesion at T2-T6 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.152D — Other incomplete lesion at T2-T6 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.153A — Other incomplete lesion at T7-T10 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.153D — Other incomplete lesion at T7-T10 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.154D — Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S24.159A — Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.159D — Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S34.01XA — Concussion and edema of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.01XD — Concussion and edema of lumbar spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S34.02XA — Concussion and edema of sacral spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.02XD — Concussion and edema of sacral spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S34.101A — Unspecified injury to L1 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.101D — Unspecified injury to L1 level of lumbar spinal cord, subsequent encounter, S34.102A — Unspecified injury to L2 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, +230 more

Related risk categories

These categories interact through CMS's HCC hierarchy — one can suppress the other's risk-adjustment weight when both are present on a claim.

Quadriplegia, Paraplegia

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Spinal cord injury (SCI), initial encounter).

S24.134A — Anterior cord syndrome at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.139A — Anterior cord syndrome at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.141A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T1 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.142A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T2-T6 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.143A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T7-T10 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.144A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.149A — Brown-Séquard syndrome at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.151A — Other incomplete lesion at T1 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.152A — Other incomplete lesion at T2-T6 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.153A — Other incomplete lesion at T7-T10 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S24.159A — Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.01XA — Concussion and edema of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.02XA — Concussion and edema of sacral spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.101A — Unspecified injury to L1 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.102A — Unspecified injury to L2 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.103A — Unspecified injury to L3 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.104A — Unspecified injury to L4 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.105A — Unspecified injury to L5 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.109A — Unspecified injury to unspecified level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, S34.111A — Complete lesion of L1 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter, +84 more

Lab tests where this diagnosis supports Medicare coverage (NCD)

Medicare's National Coverage Determination (NCD) program lists this diagnosis as medical justification for these lab tests.

Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) Test

Contextual Map

Every relationship of S24.154A in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run S24.154A with these 6 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Code First instructions

Referenced by Code Also instructions

Clinical classification (CCSR)

Risk adjustment (CMS-HCC)

  • HCC 182 — Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries [CMS-HCC]— CMS-HCC V28 · 2026

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 01 — Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 8,919 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027
  • MDC 24 — Multiple Significant Trauma[MDC crossing]: “Multiple Significant Trauma — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 22,991 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027

Index entries

  • Injury, spinal (cord), thoracic, incomplete lesion specified NEC, T11-T12 level[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Injury, spinal (cord), thoracic, posterior cord syndrome, T11-T12 level[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027

Nearest codes (40)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Reference

Index terms and tables, published questions and FAQ, every source behind this page with its release and checksum, the date-of-service check and the complete change history.

Indexed Clinical Terms (2)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Common coding questions

MedCoder editorial

Does S24.154A require a 7th character?

Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S24.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2027 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2026 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v44.0 (October 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v44 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Risk adjustment Official source data
2026 Mid-Year Final ICD-10 Mappings + Model Software (cms.gov/files/zip/2026-midyear-final-icd-10-mappings.zip, 2026-midyear-final-model-software.zip) — CMS-HCC V28, PY2026 mid-year final release Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder-derived relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder editorial explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder-derived relationship · MedCoder editorial explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates · CMS coding rules

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "S24.154A — Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/s24.154a-other-incomplete-lesion-at-t11-t12-level-of-thoracic-spinal-cord-initial-encounter

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Other incomplete lesion at T11-T12 level of thoracic spinal cord, initial encounter

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027, and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to S24.154A in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the S24 family