Is S72.44 a billable ICD-10-CM code?

No. S72.44 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.

Where does S72.44 sit in the tabular list?

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the hip and thigh (S70-S79).

What cannot be coded together with S72.44?

S72.44 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.

S72.44

S72.44 — Fracture of lower epiphysis (separation) of femur

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

S72.44 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for fracture of lower epiphysis (separation) of femur. 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 all codes from category S72

A: initial encounter for closed fracture
B: initial encounter for open fracture type I or II
C: initial encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC
D: subsequent encounter for closed fracture with routine healing
E: subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with routine healing
F: subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with routine healing
G: subsequent encounter for closed fracture with delayed healing
H: subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with delayed healing
J: subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing
K: subsequent encounter for closed fracture with nonunion
M: subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with nonunion
N: subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with nonunion
P: subsequent encounter for closed fracture with malunion
Q: subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with malunion
R: subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with malunion
S: sequela

Excludes1 — never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

Salter-Harris Type I physeal fracture of lower end of femur (S79.11-)

Risk adjustment

S72.44 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 S72.44

6 child codes. Green means billable.

Related codes at this level

Codes that share S72.4. If S72.44 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about S72.44

Is S72.44 a billable ICD-10-CM code?: No. S72.44 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
Where does S72.44 sit in the tabular list?: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Injuries to the hip and thigh (S70-S79).
What cannot be coded together with S72.44?: S72.44 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.