S42.9 – Fracture of shoulder girdle, part unspecified

ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code · Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm

Non-billable header

ICD-10-CM code S42.9

Code: S42.9 (claims format: S429)
Description: Fracture of shoulder girdle, part unspecified
Billable: No – use a more specific code below
Valid for: Dates of service October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY2027)
Chapter: 19. Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
Block: S40-S49 Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm
Parent codes: S42

Billable codes under S42.9

S42.9 is a header code and cannot be used on claims. Choose the most specific code:

S42.90 – Fracture of unspecified shoulder girdle, part unspecifiedHeader (more codes below)
S42.91 – Fracture of right shoulder girdle, part unspecifiedHeader (more codes below)
S42.92 – Fracture of left shoulder girdle, part unspecifiedHeader (more codes below)

7th character values

Codes in this category need a 7th character to describe the encounter or episode of care (use placeholder X for empty positions).

Character	Meaning
`A`	initial encounter for closed fracture
`B`	initial encounter for open fracture
`D`	subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
`G`	subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
`K`	subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
`P`	subsequent encounter for fracture with malunion
`S`	sequela

Notes for S42.9

Applicable to:

Fracture of shoulder NOS

Notes inherited from parent codes

Instructional notes at a category or block level apply to every code below it.

S42 – Fracture of shoulder and upper arm

Excludes1 (not coded here):

traumatic amputation of shoulder and upper arm (S48.-)

Excludes2 (not included here):

periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic shoulder joint (M97.3)

Notes:

A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed

7th character note:

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from category S42

Block S40-S49

Includes:

injuries of axilla
injuries of scapular region

Excludes2 (not included here):

burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
frostbite (T33-T34)
injuries of elbow (S50-S59)
insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)

Index terms for S42.9

Entries in the ICD-10-CM alphabetic index that lead to this code:

Fracture, traumatic, shoulder

Related codes in S42

S42.0 – Fracture of clavicleHeader
S42.1 – Fracture of scapulaHeader
S42.2 – Fracture of upper end of humerusHeader
S42.3 – Fracture of shaft of humerusHeader
S42.4 – Fracture of lower end of humerusHeader

Frequently asked questions

What is ICD-10 code S42.9?

S42.9 is the ICD-10-CM code for fracture of shoulder girdle, part unspecified, in the block S40-S49 (Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm).

Is S42.9 a billable code?

No. S42.9 is a header code with more specific child codes; report one of the billable codes listed above.

What category does S42.9 belong to?

It belongs to category S42 – Fracture of shoulder and upper arm.

Source: CDC/NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code files, tabular list and index. Reference only – code assignment must follow the official ICD-10-CM guidelines and documentation in the medical record.