S78 — Traumatic amputation of hip and thigh
S78 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for traumatic amputation of hip and thigh. 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 S78
- 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 of knee (S88.0-)
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 S78
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at S78. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading S78 alone.
Risk adjustment
S78 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 S78
3 child codes. Green means billable.
Questions about S78
- Is S78 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. S78 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does S78 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 S78?
- S78 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.