2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S15.9XXDInjury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, subsequent encounter
S15.9XXD is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, 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 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 949 through 950. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as injury of artery of head and neck. 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
S15.9XXD is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Injury of artery of head and neck
- Injury of blood vessel of head and/or neck
- Injury of multiple blood vessels at neck level
- Injury of multiple blood vessels of head and/or neck
- Injury of vein of head and neck
- Injury to blood vessel of neck
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 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
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 S15.9XXD to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S15.9XXDOverview
Is S15.9XXD (Injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, subsequent encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character D in S15.9XXD mean?
The final character D marks a subsequent encounter: use it for routine care while the injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level is healing, after active treatment has ended.
What MS-DRG does S15.9XXD group to?
When injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, subsequent encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 949, 950, with relative weights from 0.6277 to 1.1897 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S15.9XXD 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 injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, subsequent encounter on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S15.9XXD?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, injury of unspecified blood vessel at neck level, subsequent encounter converts to ICD-9-CM V58.89 (other specfied aftercare). 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.
