Is S61.257 a billable ICD-10-CM code?

No. S61.257 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.

Where does S61.257 sit in the tabular list?

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the wrist, hand and fingers (S60-S69).

What cannot be coded together with S61.257?

S61.257 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 S61.257 (S61.25, S61.2, S61) and apply to it just the same.

S61.257

S61.257 — Open bite of left little finger without damage to nail

Non-billable headerICD-10-CMleft

S61.257 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for open bite of left little finger without damage to nail. 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 S61

A: initial encounter
D: subsequent encounter
S: sequela

Excludes1 inherited from the categories above S61.257

These are not written on S61.257, but they bind it: a note on a category applies to every code beneath it. Billing S61.257 with anything listed here is a denial.

Written on S61.25 — Open bite of finger without damage to nail

superficial bite of finger (S60.46-, S60.47-)

Written on S61.2 — Open wound of other finger without damage to nail

open wound of finger involving nail (matrix) (S61.3-)

Written on S61 — Open wound of wrist, hand and fingers

open fracture of wrist, hand and finger (S62.- with 7th character B)
traumatic amputation of wrist and hand (S68.-)

Excludes2 inherited from the categories above S61.257

Also inherited, and the opposite of Excludes1: these conditions are not part of S61.257, but a patient can have both, so you may code both.

Written on S61.2 — Open wound of other finger without damage to nail

open wound of thumb without damage to nail (S61.0-)

Risk adjustment

S61.257 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

S61.257 has not changed since FY2024 — no addition, revision or deletion across the three most recent ICD-10-CM releases.

Code to one of these instead S61.257

3 child codes. Green means billable.

Related codes at this level

Codes that share S61.25. If S61.257 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about S61.257

Is S61.257 a billable ICD-10-CM code?: No. S61.257 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
Where does S61.257 sit in the tabular list?: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the wrist, hand and fingers (S60-S69).
What cannot be coded together with S61.257?: S61.257 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 S61.257 (S61.25, S61.2, S61) and apply to it just the same.