S21.309A — Unspecified open wound of unspecified front wall of thorax with penetration into thoracic cavity, initial encounter
S21.309A is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for unspecified open wound of unspecified front wall of thorax with penetration into thoracic cavity, 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 S21
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
Risk adjustment
S21.309A 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.
Medicare coverage
S21.309A is named in 6 Medicare coverage policies — 6 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which of them applies to you depends on your Medicare contractor, and coverage genuinely differs by state.
- A56717Billing and Coding: Respiratory Therapy (Respiratory Care)
- A57179Billing and Coding: Transesophageal Echocardiogram
- A57205Billing and Coding: Oximetry Services
- A57306Billing and Coding: Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
Related codes at this level
Codes that share S21.309. If S21.309A is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.
Questions about S21.309A
- Is S21.309A a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- Yes. S21.309A is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
- Where does S21.309A 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).