S48 — Traumatic amputation of shoulder and upper arm
S48 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for traumatic amputation of shoulder and upper arm. 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 S48
- 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.
- traumatic amputation at elbow level (S58.0)
Inclusion terms
Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.
- An amputation not identified as partial or complete should be coded to complete
Other codes that can never be billed with S48
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at S48. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading S48 alone.
Risk adjustment
S48 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 S48
3 child codes. Green means billable.
Questions about S48
- Is S48 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. S48 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does S48 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).
- What cannot be coded together with S48?
- S48 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.