2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S15.109DUnspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter
S15.109D is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter. The 7th character D marks it as a subsequent encounter code, used during routine care in the healing or recovery phase. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 949 through 950. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as injury of vertebral artery. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Injury to blood vessels, subsequent encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
S15.109D is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review the other POA exempt codes in Injuries to the neck (S10-S19).
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Injury of vertebral artery
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of blood vessels at neck level (S15). 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 2027, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to S15.109D: its own notes plus those printed at S15, block S10-S19, and Chapter 19. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Includes
Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.
- injuries of nape
- injuries of supraclavicular region
- injuries of throat
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
Use Additional Code
Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Code Also
A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no sequencing direction.
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
- The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.
7th Character
Every code in the category takes a 7th character from the listed values, with the placeholder X filling any empty positions before it.
- The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S15
- Ainitial encounter
- Dsubsequent encounter this code
- Ssequela
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name S15.109D, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes1 1
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming S15.109D: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Use Additional Code 1
These codes say to use an additional code from the note, and S15.109D is one of the codes named.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Wounds and Injuries
An injury is damage to your body. It is a general term that refers to harm caused by accidents, falls, hits, weapons, and more. In the U.S., millions of people injure themselves every year. These injuries range from minor to life-threatening.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S15.109D to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S15.109DOverview
Is S15.109D (Unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What does the 7th character D in S15.109D mean?
The final character D marks a subsequent encounter: use it for routine care while the unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery is healing, after active treatment has ended.
What MS-DRG does S15.109D group to?
When unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 950, 949, with relative weights from 0.7661 to 1.1231 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S15.109D exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter on inpatient claims. The code appears in the Injuries to the neck (S10-S19) range of the CMS exempt list.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S15.109D?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified injury of unspecified vertebral artery, subsequent encounter converts to ICD-9-CM V58.89 (other specfied aftercare). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
