S44
S44 — Injury of nerves at shoulder and upper arm level
Non-billable headerICD-10-CM
S44 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for injury of nerves at shoulder and upper arm level. 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 each code from category S44
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
Excludes2 — not included here, but may coexist
The excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient can have both. You may code both.
- injury of brachial plexus (S14.3-)
Code also
Both codes may be needed to describe the encounter fully. Sequencing depends on the reason for the visit.
- any associated open wound (S41.-)
Risk adjustment
S44 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 to one of these instead S44
8 child codes. Green means billable.
- S44.0Injury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level
- S44.1Injury of median nerve at upper arm level
- S44.2Injury of radial nerve at upper arm level
- S44.3Injury of axillary nerve
- S44.4Injury of musculocutaneous nerve
- S44.5Injury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level
- S44.8Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level
- S44.9Injury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level
Questions about S44
- Is S44 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. S44 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does S44 sit in the tabular list?
- Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm (S40-S49).