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S49.10 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified physeal fracture of lower end of humerus

Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.

Coding at a Glance

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for S49.10 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Notes without a marker are published on S49.10 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 axilla
  • injuries of scapular region

Source: inherited from S40-S49

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

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

Source: inherited from S40-S49

7th Character Guide

"The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategories S49.0 and S49.1"

  • A — initial encounter for closed fracture
  • D — subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
  • G — subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
  • K — subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
  • P — subsequent encounter for fracture with malunion
  • 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

S49.101A, S49.101D, S49.101G, S49.101K, S49.101P, S49.101S, S49.102A, S49.102D

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.

Code Overview

Unspecified physeal fracture of lower end of humerus is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S49.10). A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission.

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

Verify Before Coding

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

Other codes that name S49.10 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 Excludes2 notes: S42.3 — Fracture of shaft of humerus (via S49.1.-), S42.4 — Fracture of lower end of humerus (via S49.1.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of S49.10 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 S49.10 with these 2 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

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

Common coding questions

Can S49.10 be billed directly?

No. S49.10 (Unspecified physeal fracture of lower end of humerus) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.

Does S49.10 require a 7th character?

Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategories S49.0 and S49.1.

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 FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) 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 structured 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 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.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Unspecified physeal fracture of lower end of humerus

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), 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 S49.10 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the S49 family