W50-W64 — Exposure to animate mechanical forces
ICD-10-CM codes W50-W64 cover exposure to animate mechanical forces, within external causes of morbidity. The block holds 489 codes across 14 categories, of which 336 are billable and 153 are header codes that cannot be submitted on a claim. 489 of them (100%) require a 7th character.
Excludes1 — never code together
These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.
- Toxic effect of contact with venomous animals and plants (T63.-)
The 7th character in W50-W64
A code in this block is not complete without its 7th character, and a missing one is a rejected claim rather than a denied one: the clearinghouse never passes it on. 489 of the 489 codes here take one.
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
What else to watch in W50-W64
- 77 codes are named in Medicare coverage policies. An LCD or NCD lists them as supporting medical necessity, or explicitly as not supporting it. Which applies depends on the MAC for your state.
Categories in W50-W64
- W50Accidental hit, strike, kick, twist, bite or scratch by another person
- W51Accidental striking against or bumped into by another person
- W52Crushed, pushed or stepped on by crowd or human stampede
- W53Contact with rodent
- W54Contact with dog
- W55Contact with other mammals
- W56Contact with nonvenomous marine animal
- W57Bitten or stung by nonvenomous insect and other nonvenomous arthropods
- W58Contact with crocodile or alligator
- W59Contact with other nonvenomous reptiles
- W60Contact with nonvenomous plant thorns and spines and sharp leaves
- W61Contact with birds (domestic) (wild)
- W62Contact with nonvenomous amphibians
- W64Exposure to other animate mechanical forces