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S12

S12: Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

S12 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck. It cannot be billed on its own: choose one of the more specific child codes below. This code also requires a 7th character before it is complete.

This code requires a 7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from subcategories S12.0-S12.6

A
initial encounter for closed fracture
B
initial encounter for open fracture
D
subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
G
subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
K
subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
S
sequela

Code first

The underlying condition must be sequenced before this code.

  • any associated cervical spinal cord injury (S14.0, S14.1-)

Includes

Conditions this code covers.

  • fracture of cervical neural arch
  • fracture of cervical spine
  • fracture of cervical spinous process
  • fracture of cervical transverse process
  • fracture of cervical vertebral arch
  • fracture of neck

Notes

Additional guidance from the ICD-10-CM tabular list.

  • A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
  • A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed

Other codes that can never be billed with S12

Their own Excludes1 notes name this code, so the conflict is not listed above.

  • M48.4Fatigue fracture of vertebra
  • M48.5Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified
  • M84.3Stress fracture
  • M84.4Pathological fracture, not elsewhere classified

Risk adjustment

No CMS-HCC V28 category: this code does not change a RAF score.

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.

Code to one of these instead S12

9 child codes. Green means billable.

ICD-10-CMFY2027· effective October 1, 2026

Loaded directly from the CMS/NCHS ICD-10-CM public-domain release: see data sources and our editorial policy. If this page disagrees with the CMS tabular list, this page is wrong. Reference information for professional coders; not medical or billing advice.