T38.0 — Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of glucocorticoids and synthetic analogues
T38.0 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of glucocorticoids and synthetic analogues. 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 T38
- 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.
- glucocorticoids, topically used (T49.-)
Excludes1 inherited from the categories above T38.0
These are not written on T38.0, but they bind it: a note on a category applies to every code beneath it. Billing T38.0 with anything listed here is a denial.
Other codes that can never be billed with T38.0
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at T38.0. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading T38.0 alone.
- T39.4Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of antirheumatics, not elsewhere classified
Risk adjustment
T38.0 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
T38.0 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 T38.0
1 child code. Green means billable.
Related codes at this level
Codes that share T38. If T38.0 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.
- T38.1Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of thyroid hormones and substitutes
- T38.2Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of antithyroid drugs
- T38.3Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of insulin and oral hypoglycemic [antidiabetic] drugs
- T38.4Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of oral contraceptives
- T38.5Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other estrogens and progestogens
- T38.6Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of antigonadotrophins, antiestrogens, antiandrogens, not elsewhere classified
- T38.7Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of androgens and anabolic congeners
- T38.8Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other and unspecified hormones and synthetic substitutes
- T38.9Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of other and unspecified hormone antagonists
Questions about T38.0
- Is T38.0 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. T38.0 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does T38.0 sit in the tabular list?
- Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Poisoning by, adverse effects of and underdosing of drugs, medicaments and biological substances (T36-T50).
- What cannot be coded together with T38.0?
- T38.0 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 T38.0 (T38) and apply to it just the same.