Is W73 a billable ICD-10-CM code?

No. W73 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.

Where does W73 sit in the tabular list?

External causes of morbidity (V00-Y99), in the block Accidental non-transport drowning and submersion (W65-W74).

What cannot be coded together with W73?

W73 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.

W73

W73 — Other specified cause of accidental non-transport drowning and submersion

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

W73 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for other specified cause of accidental non-transport drowning and submersion. 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 code W73

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.

accidental drowning and submersion due to fall into other water (W16.311, W16.321, W16.331)

Inclusion terms

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

Accidental drowning and submersion while in quenching tank
Accidental drowning and submersion while in reservoir

Other codes that can never be billed with W73

These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at W73. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading W73 alone.

W16.311Fall into other water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion
W16.311AFall into other water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
W16.311DFall into other water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
W16.311SFall into other water striking water surface causing drowning and submersion, sequela
W16.321Fall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion
W16.321AFall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, initial encounter
W16.321DFall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, subsequent encounter
W16.321SFall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, sequela

Risk adjustment

W73 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.

How W73 is indexed

Coders do not find codes by browsing the tabular list — they look them up in the alphabetic index, under the word the physician wrote. These are the index entries that lead here, so you can see which chart wordings map to W73.

Drowning›in›specified place NEC

Code to one of these instead W73

3 child codes. Green means billable.

Questions about W73

Is W73 a billable ICD-10-CM code?: No. W73 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
Where does W73 sit in the tabular list?: External causes of morbidity (V00-Y99), in the block Accidental non-transport drowning and submersion (W65-W74).
What cannot be coded together with W73?: W73 carries an Excludes1 note, which means the conditions it lists can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.