2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S14.159AOther incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S10-S19›S14

ICD-10-CM S14.159A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

S14.159A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, 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. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Spinal cord injury (SCI), initial encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
S14.159A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, initial encounter
Short Description
Oth incmpl lesion at unsp level of cerv spinal cord, init
Parent Code
S14.159
Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionS10-S19Injuries to the neck
CategoryS14Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck level
This CodeS14.159AOther incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, initial encounter

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Closed fracture of C1-C4 level with incomplete cord lesion
  • Closed fracture of C1-C4 level with spinal cord injury
  • Closed fracture of C5-C7 level with incomplete spinal cord lesion
  • Closed fracture of C5-C7 level with spinal cord injury
  • Closed spinal fracture with anterior cervical cord lesion, C5-7
  • Closed spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C1-4
  • Closed spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C5-7
  • Contusion of cervical cord
  • Contusion of cervical vertebral column region
  • Contusion of neck
  • Contusion of spinal cord
  • Incomplete cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord
  • Incomplete spinal cord lesion at C5-C7 level without bone injury
  • Injury at C5-C7 level with spinal cord injury AND without bone injury
  • Injury of cervical spinal cord due to closed fracture of cervical spine
  • Laceration of cervical cord
  • Laceration of spinal cord
  • Open fracture of C1-C4 level with incomplete spinal cord lesion
  • Open fracture of C1-C4 level with spinal cord injury
  • Open spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C1-4
  • Posterior cervical spinal cord injury without spinal bone injury, C5-7
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to closed fracture of C1-C4 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to closed fracture of C5-C7 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to open fracture of C1-C4 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord due to open dislocation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord due to open subluxation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spine due to closed dislocation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spine due to closed subluxation of cervical spine
  • Spinal subluxation with cervical cord lesion

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck level (S14). 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.

CCSR INJ009
Spinal cord injury (SCI), initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Neck Injuries and Disorders

Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves - can cause neck problems. Neck pain is very common. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head, or upper arms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert S14.159A to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
952.9 Spinal cord injury NOS
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About S14.159AOverview

Is S14.159A a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What does the 7th character A in S14.159A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does S14.159A group to?

When other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, 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.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S14.159A?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 952.9 (spinal cord injury NOS). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

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.