2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S59.029ASalter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, initial encounter for closed fracture
ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S50-S59›S59
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- 7th Character A — Initial Encounter for Closed Fracture
- Not Chronic
S59.029A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Salter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, initial encounter for closed fracture. The 7th character A means initial encounter for closed fracture, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 562 through 563, 963 through 965. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 576 closely related codes. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Fracture of the upper limb, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for S59.029A.
Quality Payment Program MeasuresBilling
Medicare quality measures that can apply when S59.029A is part of the patient record.
Communication with the Physician or Other Clinician Managing On-Going Care Post-Fracture for Men and Women Aged 50 Years and Older
High Priority: YES
Measure Type: Process
Submission Methods: Claims, Registry
Description: Percentage of patients aged 50 years and older treated for a fracture with documentation of communication, between the physician treating the fracture and the physician or other clinician managing the patient’s on-going care, that a fracture occurred and that the patient was or should be considered for osteoporosis treatment or testing. This measure is submitted by the physician who treats the fracture and who therefore is held accountable for the communication.
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The principles of multiple coding of injuries should be followed in coding fractures. Fractures of specified sites are coded individually by site, to the level of detail furnished by medical record content.
A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed. A fracture not indicated whether displaced or not displaced should be coded to displaced.
Initial vs. Subsequent Encounter for Fractures
Traumatic fractures are coded using the appropriate 7th character for initial encounter (A, B, C) while the patient is receiving active treatment for the fracture. The appropriate 7th character for initial encounter should also be assigned for a patient who delayed seeking treatment for the fracture or nonunion.
Fractures are coded using the appropriate 7th character for subsequent care for encounters after the patient has completed active treatment of the fracture and is receiving routine care for the fracture during the healing or recovery phase.
Care for complications of surgical treatment for fracture repairs during the healing or recovery phase should be coded with the appropriate complication codes.
Care of complications of fractures, such as malunion and nonunion, should be reported with the appropriate 7th character for subsequent care with nonunion (K, M, N) or subsequent care with malunion (P, Q, R).
The open fracture designations in the assignment of the 7th character for fractures of the forearm, femur and lower leg, including ankle are based on the Gustilo open fracture classification. When the Gustilo classification type is not specified for an open fracture, the 7th character for open fracture type I or II should be assigned (B, E, H, M, Q).
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 S59.029A: its own notes plus those printed at S59, block S50-S59, and Chapter 19. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
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.
- other and unspecified injuries of wrist and hand (S69.-)
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.-)
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 subcategories S59.0, S59.1, and S59.2
- Ainitial encounter for closed fracture this code
- Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
- Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
- Ksubsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
- Psubsequent encounter for fracture with malunion
- Ssequela
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Arm Injuries and Disorders
Of the 206 bones in your body, three of them are in your arm: the humerus, radius, and ulna. Your arms are also made up of muscles, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. Injuries to any of these parts of the arm can occur during sports, a fall, or an accident.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S59.029A to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S59.029AOverview
Is S59.029A a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report Salter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, initial encounter for closed fracture on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What does the 7th character A in S59.029A mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for Salter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation. In this category the CMS Tabular List defines A as "initial encounter for closed fracture".
What MS-DRG does S59.029A group to?
When Salter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, initial encounter for closed fracture is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 563, 964, 965, 562, 963, with relative weights from 0.8982 to 2.6361 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S59.029A a CC or MCC?
CMS lists S59.029A as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 576 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S59.029A?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, Salter-Harris Type II physeal fracture of lower end of ulna, unspecified arm, initial encounter for closed fracture converts to ICD-9-CM 813.43 (fx distal ulna-closed). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
