2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z44Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device
Z44 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as Z44.001, Z44.002, Z44.009, and Z44.011.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Specific Coding for Encounter for fit/adjst of external prosthetic deviceOverview
Non-specific codes like Z44 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:
Z44.0 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial arm
Z44.00 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of unspecified artificial arm
Z44.01 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of complete artificial arm
Z44.02 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of partial artificial arm
Z44.1 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial leg
Z44.10 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of unspecified artificial leg
Z44.11 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of complete artificial leg
Z44.12 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of partial artificial leg
Z44.2 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial eye
Use Z44.20 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial eye, unspecified
Use Z44.21 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial right eye
Use Z44.22 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of artificial left eye
Z44.3 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external breast prosthesis
Use Z44.30 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external breast prosthesis, unspecified breast
Use Z44.31 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external right breast prosthesis
Use Z44.32 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of external left breast prosthesis
Use Z44.8 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of other external prosthetic devices
Use Z44.9 for Encounter for fitting and adjustment of unspecified external prosthetic device
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Z44: its own notes plus those printed at block Z40-Z53 and Chapter 21. 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.
- removal or replacement of external prosthetic device
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
- malfunction or other complications of device - see Alphabetical Index
- presence of prosthetic device (Z97.-)
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.
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed. Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00-Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
- (a) When a person who may or may not be sick encounters the health services for some specific purpose, such as to receive limited care or service for a current condition, to donate an organ or tissue, to receive prophylactic vaccination (immunization), or to discuss a problem which is in itself not a disease or injury.
- (b) When some circumstance or problem is present which influences the person's health status but is not in itself a current illness or injury.
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name Z44, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes1 1
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming Z44: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
- Z09 Encounter for follow-up examination after completed treatment for conditions other than malignant neoplasm
Excludes2 5
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming Z44: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
- Block T80-T88 Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classifiedfitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device (Z44.-)
- Z43 Encounter for attention to artificial openings
- Z48 Encounter for other postprocedural aftercare
- Z96 Presence of other functional implants
- Z97 Presence of other devices
Patient EducationClinical
Artificial Limbs
People can lose all or part of an arm or leg for a number of reasons. Common ones include:
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About Z44Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device?
Z44 is the ICD-10-CM category for encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device, but it is a non-billable header: claims need a more specific code from this category, listed on this page.
Is Z44 a billable code?
No. This is a category header that groups the codes for encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for encounter for fitting and adjustment of external prosthetic device need a more specific code from this category, such as Z44.001, Z44.002, and Z44.009.
Can Z44 be reported with a code from Z97?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on Z44 lists "presence of prosthetic device (Z97.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
