2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T16.1XXSForeign body in right ear, sequela
T16.1XXS is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for foreign body in right ear, sequela. The 7th character S marks it as a sequela code, which reports a problem that remains after the original condition has resolved. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 913 through 914. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Injury, sequela.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
T16.1XXS 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.
- Foreign body in auditory canal
- Foreign body in auricle
- Foreign body in left ear
- Foreign body in middle ear
- Foreign body in right auditory canal
- Foreign body in right auricle
- Foreign body in right ear
- Foreign body in right external ear
- Retained foreign body of bilateral middle ears
- Retained foreign body of left middle ear
- Retained foreign body of middle ear
- Retained foreign body of right middle ear
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Foreign body in ear (T16). 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
Foreign Bodies
If you've ever gotten a splinter or had sand in your eye, you've had experience with a foreign body. A foreign body is something that is stuck inside you but isn't supposed to be there. You may inhale or swallow a foreign body, or you may get one from an injury to almost any part of your body.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert T16.1XXS to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About T16.1XXSOverview
Is T16.1XXS (Foreign body in right ear) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report foreign body in right ear, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in T16.1XXS mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the foreign body in right ear itself has resolved, not the original event.
What MS-DRG does T16.1XXS group to?
When foreign body in right ear, sequela is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 913, 914, with relative weights from 0.8855 to 1.6346 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is T16.1XXS 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 foreign body in right ear, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of T16.1XXS?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, foreign body in right ear, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 908.5 (late eff FB in orifice). 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.
