An injury code requires a seventh character, but the base code is s…

Question

An injury code requires a seventh character, but the base code is shorter than six characters. How should the placeholder character be used?

Accepted Answer

Insert placeholder X in the empty character position(s) so the required seventh character can be placed in the seventh position. — ICD-10-CM is picky about seat assignments: the seventh character has to sit in seat seven. If seats in between are empty, you fill them with X so that final character lands where it belongs.

Answer

Stop at the highest level found in the index and never extend the code.

Answer

Append the seventh character immediately after the last listed character without filling empty positions.

Answer

Replace the missing characters with the present-on-admission indicator instead of X.

An injury code requires a seventh character, but the base code is shorter than six characters. How should the placeholder character be used?

Short Explanation

Full Explanation