T21.04 is the authoritative medical code for Burn of unspecified degree of lower back. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for burn of unspecified degree of lower back (ICD-10-CM T21.04), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Burn of unspecified degree of lower back is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code T21.04. A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission. Includes: burns and corrosion of hip region; burns and corrosions of first degree erythema; burns and corrosions of second degree blistersepidermal loss; burns and corrosions of third degree deep necrosis of underlying tissue full- thickness skin loss. Excludes2 (not included here): burns and corrosion of axilla (T22.- with fifth character 4); burns and corrosion of scapular region (T22.- with fifth character 6); burns and corrosion of shoulder (T22.- with fifth character 5). Use additional code: external cause code to identify the source, place and intent of the burn (X00-X19, X75-X77, X96-X98, Y92); code from category T31 or T32 to identify extent of body surface involved. 7th character: The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T21.
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for T21.04 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Includes
Conditions the official ICD-10-CM tabular list includes under this code.
- burns and corrosion of hip region
- burns and corrosions of first degree erythema
- burns and corrosions of second degree blistersepidermal loss
- burns and corrosions of third degree deep necrosis of underlying tissue full- thickness skin loss
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- burns and corrosion of axilla (T22.- with fifth character 4)
- burns and corrosion of scapular region (T22.- with fifth character 6)
- burns and corrosion of shoulder (T22.- with fifth character 5)
Use Additional Code
Supplementary codes the tabular list directs you to add.
- external cause code to identify the source, place and intent of the burn (X00-X19, X75-X77, X96-X98, Y92)
- code from category T31 or T32 to identify extent of body surface involved
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
Can T21.04 be billed directly?
No. T21.04 (Burn of unspecified degree of lower back) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
Does T21.04 require a 7th character?
Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T21.
Can T21.04 be reported alongside related conditions?
Per Excludes2 instructions, T21.04 and the following may both be reported when both are present: burns and corrosion of axilla (T22.- with fifth character 4); burns and corrosion of scapular region (T22.- with fifth character 6); burns and corrosion of shoulder (T22.- with fifth character 5).
Is an additional code needed with T21.04?
Use additional code(s) to specify: external cause code to identify the source, place and intent of the burn (X00-X19, X75-X77, X96-X98, Y92); code from category T31 or T32 to identify extent of body surface involved.
Codes in This Family (40)
Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as T21.04, with their registry titles.
- T21 — Burn and corrosion of trunk
- T21.0 — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk
- T21.00 — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site
- T21.00A — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, initial encounter
- T21.00D — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, subsequent encounter
- T21.00S — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, sequela
- T21.00XA — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, initial encounter
- T21.00XD — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, subsequent encounter
- T21.00XS — Burn of unspecified degree of trunk, unspecified site, sequela
- T21.01 — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall
- T21.01A — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, initial encounter
- T21.01D — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, subsequent encounter
- T21.01S — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, sequela
- T21.01XA — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, initial encounter
- T21.01XD — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, subsequent encounter
- T21.01XS — Burn of unspecified degree of chest wall, sequela
- T21.02 — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall
- T21.02A — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, initial encounter
- T21.02D — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, subsequent encounter
- T21.02S — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, sequela
- T21.02XA — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, initial encounter
- T21.02XD — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, subsequent encounter
- T21.02XS — Burn of unspecified degree of abdominal wall, sequela
- T21.03 — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back
- T21.03A — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, initial encounter
- T21.03D — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, subsequent encounter
- T21.03S — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, sequela
- T21.03XA — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, initial encounter
- T21.03XD — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, subsequent encounter
- T21.03XS — Burn of unspecified degree of upper back, sequela
- T21.04A — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, initial encounter
- T21.04D — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, subsequent encounter
- T21.04S — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, sequela
- T21.04XA — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, initial encounter
- T21.04XD — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, subsequent encounter
- T21.04XS — Burn of unspecified degree of lower back, sequela
- T21.05 — Burn of unspecified degree of buttock
- T21.05A — Burn of unspecified degree of buttock, initial encounter
- T21.05D — Burn of unspecified degree of buttock, subsequent encounter
- T21.05S — Burn of unspecified degree of buttock, sequela
Indexed Clinical Terms (1)
Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code.
- Burn (electricity) (flame) (hot gas, liquid or hot object) (radiation) (steam) (thermal), back (lower)
Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)
Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:
ICD Code T23.04
Burn of unspecified degree of multiple fingers (nail), including thumb