Rotator cuff coding clarification
ROTATOR CUFF TEAR
Date: BWC 11/2019
November 2019
Issue
When an injured worker’s injury is a traumatic rotator cuff tear the ICD-10 code and corresponding description map to
sprain, strain, and tear of the rotator cuff ligament/muscle/tendon. Confusion occurs when it is appropriate to add an
allowance, or how to appropriately reflect the injury description for the allowance.
Purpose
To clarify the code assignment and associated injury description for a sprain, strain, and tear of the rotator cuff ligament/
muscle/tendon and to provide guidance regarding an additional allowance when the initial injury was described as a
sprain or a strain instead of a tear.
Definition
A traumatic rotator cuff diagnosis is defined as an injury of the rotator cuff ligaments, muscles, and tendons and maps
to rotator cuff sprain/strain and/or tear/rupture. ICD-10 codes S46.011A (right shoulder) and S46.012A (left shoulder)
are for strain/tear/rupture OR S43.421A (right shoulder) and S43.422A (left shoulder) are for sprain/tear/rupture.
A non-traumatic rotator cuff injury diagnosis is assigned when the injury to the rotator cuff was pre-existing and
the injured worker substantially aggravated the pre-existing condition as a result of the work-related injury. This is
assigned to M75.1* category ICD-10 codes based on the severity of the tear (incomplete vs. complete).
Clarification
When a traumatic injury involves a sprain, strain or tear of the muscles or tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder, the
provider will document the nature and description of the injury fully in the medical notes. BWC uses this description
to identify the allowance.
If the provider initially diagnoses and requests an allowance of a sprain of the rotator cuff capsule/ligament or strain
of the rotator cuff muscles/tendons and future diagnostic testing identifies a tear, BWC will consider an additional
allowance request for the tear even though the two conditions – sprain and tear, or strain and tear map to the same
ICD-10 code (see the mapping algorithm and table for the rotator cuff injury).
Examples:
1. The IW has a shoulder injury. The physician orders an MRI and the MRI shows a tear. The physician documents
the injury diagnosis as a rotator cuff (supraspinatus) tear of the right shoulder. The physician, in the electronic
medical record (EMR) appropriately selects ICD-10 code S46.011A. Because the ICD-10 code book reflects
the industry description, the EMR printout of the medical documentation may state “strain of muscle(s) and
tendon(s) of the rotator cuff of right shoulder”. Even though the formal industry description of S46.011A doesn’t
include “tear”, it is a part of this ICD code due to mapping (see the mapping algorithm). Since the physician has
documented a rotator cuff tear and has supporting medical documentation (MRI), BWC will base the injury
description on the rotator cuff tear and BWC’s claim allowance would be modified to reflect the tear.
2. The IW has a shoulder injury, however, in this example, the physician initially limits documentation to a strain
of the right rotator cuff. The claim allowance of S46.011A and description of strain of the right rotator cuff is
added. A few months later, the IW continues to have pain and after an MRI, the physician diagnoses a rotator
cuff tear. Because the ICD-10 code for strain and tear map to the same ICD code, the physician would not choose
a different ICD-10 code in the EMR. To avoid the confusion regarding future medical treatment, the physician
may submit a request for an additional allowance with the medical justification of the MRI. When allowed,
BWC would add a second claim allowance, both with the same ICD-10 code, but with different descriptions as
follows:
S46.011A: Strain of right rotator cuff
S46.011A: Right rotator cuff tear
