W16.321S — Fall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, sequela
Is W16.321S billable?
Yes — W16.321S is billable for FY2027. W16.321S is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. W16.321S may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
W16.321S at a glance
| Code | W16.321S |
|---|---|
| Description | Fall into other water striking bottom causing drowning and submersion, sequela |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
| 7th character "S" | sequela |
What does the 7th character "S" mean in W16.321S?
In W16.321S, the 7th character S means sequela. The 7th character is required for W16.321S to be a valid, complete code.
Same condition, different episode of care — switch the 7th character:
How is W16.321S listed in the External Cause Index?
The External Cause of Injuries Index lists these routes under W16.321, the nearest indexed parent of W16.321S. This is a separate index from the Alphabetic Index and is where external cause codes are looked up.
- Striking against › bottom when › falling into water › causing drowning
- Striking against › bottom when › falling into water › specified NEC › causing drowning
- Drowning › in › specified place NEC › following › fall › striking › bottom (accidental)
- Drowning › following › fall › into › water NOS › specified NEC › striking › bottom (accidental)
- Fall, falling › into › water › in › specified water NEC › striking › bottom › causing drowning (accidental)
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with W16.321S on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- drowning and submersion while in other water without fall (W73)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W00-W19
The conditions below can never be reported together with W16.321S on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W16
The conditions below can never be reported together with W16.321S on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W16.321
The conditions below can never be reported together with W16.321S on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- drowning and submersion while in other water without fall (W73)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from W00-W19
The conditions below are not part of W16.321S, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, W16.321S and the excluded code may both be reported.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from W16
The conditions below are not part of W16.321S, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, W16.321S and the excluded code may both be reported.
- striking or hitting diving board (W21.4)
How long has W16.321S existed?
W16.321S 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.