2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S40.919AUnspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, initial encounter
S40.919A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, 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 604 through 605, 963 through 965. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Superficial injury; contusion, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Multiple injuries of shoulder region
- Multiple injuries of upper arm
- Multiple superficial injuries of shoulder and upper arm
- Multiple superficial injuries of shoulder region
- Multiple superficial injuries of upper arm
- Superficial injury of axilla
- Superficial injury of axilla without infection
- Superficial injury of scapular region
- Superficial injury of scapular region with infection
- Superficial injury of shoulder
- Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm
- Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm with infection
- Superficial injury of shoulder with infection
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Superficial injury of shoulder and upper arm (S40). 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
Bruises
A bruise is a mark on your skin caused by blood trapped under the surface. It happens when an injury crushes small blood vessels but does not break the skin. Those vessels break open and leak blood under the skin.
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Convert S40.919A to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S40.919AOverview
Is S40.919A (Unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character A in S40.919A mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.
What MS-DRG does S40.919A group to?
When unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 604, 605, 963, 964, 965, with relative weights from 0.9160 to 2.7338 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S40.919A?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified superficial injury of unspecified shoulder, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 912.8 (superf inj shldr/arm NEC). 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.
