S20.97XA — Other superficial bite of unspecified parts of thorax, initial encounter
S20.97XA is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for other superficial bite of unspecified parts of thorax, initial encounter. It is valid for submission on a claim.
7th character "A" — initial encounter
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S20
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
Excludes1 — never code together
These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.
- open bite of thorax NOS (S21.95)
Excludes1 inherited from the categories above S20.97XA
These are not written on S20.97XA, but they bind it: a note on a category applies to every code beneath it. Billing S20.97XA with anything listed here is a denial.
Risk adjustment
S20.97XA does not map to an HCC and does not risk-adjust under CMS-HCC V28. That is normal — most ICD-10 codes do not. It still needs to be coded correctly; it just will not move a RAF score.
Code history
S20.97XA has not changed since FY2024 — no addition, revision or deletion across the three most recent ICD-10-CM releases.
Related codes at this level
Codes that share S20.97. If S20.97XA is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.
Questions about S20.97XA
- Is S20.97XA a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- Yes. S20.97XA is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
- Where does S20.97XA sit in the tabular list?
- Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the thorax (S20-S29).
- What cannot be coded together with S20.97XA?
- S20.97XA carries Excludes1 notes, which means the conditions they list can never be coded together with it on the same encounter. Some are written on the categories above S20.97XA (S20.97, S20.9) and apply to it just the same.