2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S06.9XAAUnspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown, initial encounter
S06.9XAA is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 963 through 965. Coders also document this condition as chronic neuropathic pain following brain injury. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Traumatic brain injury (TBI); concussion, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Chronic neuropathic pain following brain injury
- Injury of intracranial vessel of head
- Injury of parenchyma of brain
- Traumatic intraventricular hemorrhage
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Intracranial injury (S06). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain. It may happen when there is a blow, bump, or jolt to the head. This is a closed head injury. A TBI can also happen when an object penetrates the skull. This is a penetrating injury.
The full article covers:
- What is traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
- What causes traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
- Who is at risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
- What are the symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
- How is traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
- Can traumatic brain injury (TBI) be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Code History & ChangesHistory
Replacement S06.9XAA replaces the following previously assigned code(s):
- S06.9X9A - Unsp intracranial injury w LOC of unsp duration, init
Questions About S06.9XAAOverview
Is S06.9XAA a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character A in S06.9XAA mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.
What MS-DRG does S06.9XAA group to?
When unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 963, 964, 965, with relative weights from 0.9405 to 2.7338 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
