ICD-10 · PDGM grouping
W46 Contact with hypodermic needle
All 6 codes in the W46 family, with the PDGM clinical group, comorbidity subgroup and primary-position rule CMS assigns, read from the CMS grouper crosswalk v07.2.26 and the CDC FY2027 code file.
Codes in family
6
Can lead a claim
0
Cannot lead a claim
6
What CMS assigns to W46
None of the 6 codes is assigned a clinical group. None of the 6 is assigned a comorbidity subgroup. None can lead a claim.
Every code in W46
Descriptions are CDC’s FY2027 wording; where CMS’s grouper abbreviates one, its form is shown beneath.
| Code | Description | Primary position | Clinical group | Comorbidity subgroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W46.0 Contact with hypodermic needle | ||||
| W46.0XXA | Contact with hypodermic needle, initial encounter | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
| W46.0XXD | Contact with hypodermic needle, subsequent encounter | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
| W46.0XXS | Contact with hypodermic needle, sequela | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
| W46.1 Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle | ||||
| W46.1XXA | Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle, initial encounterCMS: Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle, init encntr | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
| W46.1XXD | Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle, subsequent encounterCMS: Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle, subs encntr | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
| W46.1XXS | Contact with contaminated hypodermic needle, sequela | Cannot lead a claimExternal cause of injury code not reportable as principal diagnosis | None | None |
Sources: CMS HH PPS Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective 2026-10-01, for the clinical group, comorbidity subgroup, code-first conventions and primary-position flags; CDC NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code descriptions for the family title and code wording. This is the crosswalk Medicare runs a claim through. Grouping also depends on admission source, timing, the OASIS functional items and the rest of the diagnosis list.
The monthly home health regs digest
What CMS changed, what's due next, and what to do about it — one email a month, no fluff. Read the first issue