T18.120S

T18.120S: Food in esophagus causing compression of trachea, sequela

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CMPOA exempt

T18.120S is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for food in esophagus causing compression of trachea, sequela. It is valid for submission on a claim.

Check T18.120S with the rest of the claim: free scrubber

7th character "S": sequela

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T18

A: initial encounter
D: subsequent encounter
S: sequela

Inclusion terms

Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.

Food in esophagus causing obstruction of respiration

Excludes2 inherited from the categories above T18.120S

Not part of this code, but both may be coded when both are present.

Written on T18.1: Foreign body in esophagus

foreign body in respiratory tract (T17.-)

Written on T18: Foreign body in alimentary tract

foreign body in pharynx (T17.2-)

Risk adjustment

No CMS-HCC V28 category: this code does not change a RAF score.

Medicare coverage

T18.120S is named in 4 Medicare coverage policies: 4 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which one applies depends on your Medicare contractor.

A56389Billing and Coding: Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Visualization
A56580Billing and Coding: Computerized Axial Tomography (CT), Thorax
A57063Billing and Coding: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
A57414Billing and Coding: Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (Diagnostic and Therapeutic)

Code history

Unchanged in every release from FY2024 to FY2027.