W46
W46 — Contact with hypodermic needle
Non-billable headerICD-10-CM
W46 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for contact with hypodermic needle. 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 W46
- A
- initial encounter
- D
- subsequent encounter
- S
- sequela
Other codes that can never be billed with W46
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at W46. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading W46 alone.
Risk adjustment
W46 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 W46
2 child codes. Green means billable.
Questions about W46
- Is W46 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- No. W46 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
- Where does W46 sit in the tabular list?
- External causes of morbidity (V00-Y99), in the block Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces (W20-W49).