S09.311A — Primary blast injury of right ear, initial encounter
Is S09.311A billable?
Yes — S09.311A is billable for FY2027. S09.311A is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. S09.311A may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
S09.311A at a glance
| Code | S09.311A |
|---|---|
| Description | Primary blast injury of right ear, initial encounter |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
| 7th character "A" | initial encounter |
What does the 7th character "A" mean in S09.311A?
In S09.311A, the 7th character A means initial encounter. The 7th character is required for S09.311A to be a valid, complete code.
Same condition, different episode of care — switch the 7th character:
Which MS-DRGs does S09.311A group to?
S09.311A sits in MDC 03 and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 154Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCCmedical
- 155Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with CCmedical
- 156Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses without CC/MCCmedical
As a secondary diagnosis, S09.311A is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.
How is S09.311A listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under S09.31, the nearest indexed parent of S09.311A. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Injury › blastNEC › ear
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from S09.3
The conditions below can never be reported together with S09.311A on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- injury to ear NOS (S09.91-)
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 19
Report an additional code alongside S09.311A to fully describe the condition. S09.311A is sequenced first.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 19
The conditions below are not part of S09.311A, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S09.311A and the excluded code may both be reported.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from S00-S09
The conditions below are not part of S09.311A, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S09.311A and the excluded code may both be reported.
- burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
- effects of foreign body in ear (T16)
- effects of foreign body in larynx (T17.3)
- effects of foreign body in mouth NOS (T18.0)
- effects of foreign body in nose (T17.0-T17.1)
- effects of foreign body in pharynx (T17.2)
- effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)
- frostbite (T33-T34)
- insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from S09.3
The conditions below are not part of S09.311A, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S09.311A and the excluded code may both be reported.
Code also — inherited from S00-S09
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether S09.311A is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.
- for any associated infection
How long has S09.311A existed?
S09.311A has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.