Is S50.872D a billable ICD-10-CM code?

Yes. S50.872D is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.

Where does S50.872D sit in the tabular list?

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the elbow and forearm (S50-S59).

What cannot be coded together with S50.872D?

S50.872D 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 S50.872D (S50.87) and apply to it just the same.

S50.872D

S50.872D — Other superficial bite of left forearm, subsequent encounter

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CMPOA exemptleft

S50.872D is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for other superficial bite of left forearm, subsequent encounter. It is valid for submission on a claim.

7th character "D" — subsequent encounter

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S50

A: initial encounter
D: subsequent encounter
S: sequela

Excludes1 inherited from the categories above S50.872D

These are not written on S50.872D, but they bind it: a note on a category applies to every code beneath it. Billing S50.872D with anything listed here is a denial.

Written on S50.87 — Other superficial bite of forearm

open bite of forearm (S51.84)

Excludes2 inherited from the categories above S50.872D

Also inherited, and the opposite of Excludes1: these conditions are not part of S50.872D, but a patient can have both, so you may code both.

Written on S50 — Superficial injury of elbow and forearm

superficial injury of wrist and hand (S60.-)

Risk adjustment

S50.872D 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

S50.872D is named in 2 Medicare coverage policies — 2 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which of them applies to you depends on your Medicare contractor, and coverage genuinely differs by state.

A58872Billing and Coding: Tetanus Immunization
A58873Billing and Coding: Tetanus Immunization

Code history

S50.872D 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 S50.872. If S50.872D is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about S50.872D

Is S50.872D a billable ICD-10-CM code?: Yes. S50.872D is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
Where does S50.872D sit in the tabular list?: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the elbow and forearm (S50-S59).
What cannot be coded together with S50.872D?: S50.872D 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 S50.872D (S50.87) and apply to it just the same.