M00.832
BillableArthritis due to other bacteria, left wrist
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is M00.832 an HCC code?
Yes. M00.832 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under V24).
HCC Category Mapping
RAF weights shown are the community, non-dual, aged base weights from the CMS risk adjustment model file. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member segment, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains in use during the transition and for historical data.
MEAT Criteria for M00.832
For M00.832to count as a valid HCC diagnosis in a given encounter, the provider's documentation must show MEAT: Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat. A diagnosis from a prior year does not carry forward automatically — it has to be re-documented and supported each calendar year.
- MMonitor: signs, symptoms, disease progression, or lab trending documented in the note
- EEvaluate: test results, medication response, or physical findings reviewed by the provider
- AAssess: explicit mention in the assessment or plan with acknowledgment of status
- TTreat: medication, referral, procedure, therapy, or counseling tied to the diagnosis
Only one of M/E/A/T is required to support the code, but the documentation must be specific enough to show that the provider actually addressed M00.832 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
M00.832 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for arthritis due to other bacteria, left wrist. Infection and inflammation of the left wrist joint caused by bacteria other than the common ones typically associated with arthritis. M00.832 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (m00-m99), within the section covering infectious arthropathies (m00-m02).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, M00.832 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis (HCC 92) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.209. Under the older V24 model, M00.832 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.482 — V28 recalibrated weights across the entire model. V28 is the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model that reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition.
Verify the left wrist is clearly documented as the affected site. Because M00.832 maps to a payment HCC, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's Medicare Advantage risk adjustment score. When documentation is ambiguous, coders should issue a provider query rather than assume the highest-specificity variant.
HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for M00.832 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Verify the left wrist is clearly documented as the affected site
- •Confirm the infection is of the wrist joint itself, not surrounding soft tissues
Clinical Significance
Bacterial arthritis of the left wrist is a serious infection that threatens hand function and fine motor abilities essential for daily living. The complex joint structure and proximity to tendons make this condition particularly challenging to treat effectively.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation of 'other bacteria' as infectious agent
- ✓Clear specification of left wrist joint involvement
- ✓Laboratory confirmation of bacterial infection
- ✓Clinical signs of infectious arthritis in wrist
- ✓Evidence of appropriate antibiotic therapy
- ✓Functional assessment of wrist and hand mobility
- ✓Inflammatory markers and infection parameters
- ✓Differentiation from tendinitis or carpal tunnel syndrome
Commonly Confused Codes
- •M00032 — Streptococcal arthritis of left wrist (different bacterial type)
- •M00013 — Staphylococcal arthritis of left wrist (specific organism)
- •M06.832 — Other rheumatoid arthritis of left wrist (autoimmune)
- •M19.032 — Primary osteoarthritis of left wrist (degenerative)
- •G56.02 — Carpal tunnel syndrome of left wrist (nerve compression)