Skip to main content

T68.XXXA ICD-10-CM Code: Hypothermia, initial encounter

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

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43.0, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 922 — OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITH MCC (MDC 21)
  • MS-DRG 923 — OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITHOUT MCC (MDC 21)

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.

Official Registry Overview & Definition

Hypothermia, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T68A).

Official Tabular Instructional Notes

Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for T68.XXXA in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Accidental hypothermia
  • Hypothermia NOS

Excludes1 — Not Coded Here

Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

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.

  • Code also, if applicable, place of occurrence, such as:
  • highway rest stop (Y92.523)
  • school (private) (public) (state) as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.21-)
  • service areas as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.52-)
  • single-family non-institutional (private) house as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.01-)
  • transport vehicle as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.81-)

Use Additional Code

Supplementary codes the tabular list directs you to add.

  • Use additional code to identify source of exposure:
  • Exposure to excessive cold of man-made origin (W93)
  • Exposure to excessive cold of natural origin (X31)

Frequently Compared Codes

The official Excludes notes on T68.XXXA name these codes. Each comparison page covers when the two can — or must not — be reported together.

Change history

No changes recorded for this code — unchanged since the FY2016 baseline of the change ledger.

Verify Before Coding

  • No Medicare Code Editor or MS-DRG Definitions Manual restrictions apply to this code.

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

Contextual Map

Every relationship of T68.XXXA 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.

Hierarchy

  • S00-T88 — Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) (S00-T88) [Hierarchy]
  • T66-T78 — Other and unspecified effects of external causes [Hierarchy]

Clinical classification (CCSR)

  • INJ021 — Effect of other external causes, initial encounter [CCSR]

Potential MS-DRG

  • DRG 922 — OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITH MCC [MS-DRG]: “OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITH MCC (MDC 21)”
  • DRG 923 — OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITHOUT MCC [MS-DRG]: “OTHER INJURY, POISONING AND TOXIC EFFECT DIAGNOSES WITHOUT MCC (MDC 21)”

MDC crossing · procedures (32029)

  • MDC 21 — Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs [MDC crossing]: “Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs — 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.”
  • 0016070 — Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Nasopharynx with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach [Same-MDC procedure]: “Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Nasopharynx with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach — grouped in MDC 21, the procedure side of this code's crossing.” · check together
  • 0016071 — Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Mastoid Sinus with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach [Same-MDC procedure]: “Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Mastoid Sinus with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach — grouped in MDC 21, the procedure side of this code's crossing.” · check together
  • 0016072 — Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Atrium with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach [Same-MDC procedure]: “Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Atrium with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach — grouped in MDC 21, the procedure side of this code's crossing.” · check together
  • 0016073 — Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Blood Vessel with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach [Same-MDC procedure]: “Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Blood Vessel with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach — grouped in MDC 21, the procedure side of this code's crossing.” · check together
  • 0016074 — Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Pleural Cavity with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach [Same-MDC procedure]: “Bypass Cerebral Ventricle to Pleural Cavity with Autologous Tissue Substitute, Open Approach — grouped in MDC 21, the procedure side of this code's crossing.” · check together
  • and 32024 more

Nearest codes

  • T68 — Hypothermia [Sibling]
  • T68.XXXD — Hypothermia, subsequent encounter [Sibling]
  • T68.XXXS — Hypothermia, sequela [Sibling]

Relationships & Classification

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):INJ021 — Effect of other external causes, 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.

Potential MS-DRG Relationships (FY2026)

Not on the CMS CC/MCC list — as a secondary diagnosis this code does not change MS-DRG severity.

Named in the grouper logic of 2 MS-DRGs: DRG 922 (MDC 21), DRG 923 (MDC 21).

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance

Does T68.XXXA require a 7th character?

Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to code T68.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to T68.XXXA in its code family, with their registry titles.

  • T68 — Hypothermia
  • T68.XXXD — Hypothermia, subsequent encounter
  • T68.XXXS — Hypothermia, sequela

View all codes in the T68 family