T79 — Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified
T79 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified. 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 T79
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
Excludes2 — not included here, but may coexist
The excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient can have both. You may code both.
Other codes that can never be billed with T79
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at T79. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading T79 alone.
Risk adjustment
T79 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 T79
10 child codes. Green means billable.
- T79.0Air embolism (traumatic)
- T79.1Fat embolism (traumatic)
- T79.2Traumatic secondary and recurrent hemorrhage and seroma
- T79.4Traumatic shock
- T79.5Traumatic anuria
- T79.6Traumatic ischemia of muscle
- T79.7Traumatic subcutaneous emphysema
- T79.ATraumatic compartment syndrome
- T79.8Other early complications of trauma
- T79.9Unspecified early complication of trauma
Questions about T79
- Is T79 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. T79 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does T79 sit in the tabular list?
- Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Certain early complications of trauma (T79).