M00.841
BillableArthritis due to other bacteria, right hand
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is M00.841 an HCC code?
Yes. M00.841 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 M00.841
For M00.841to 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 M00.841 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
M00.841 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for arthritis due to other bacteria, right hand. Infection and inflammation of the right hand joints caused by bacteria other than the common ones typically associated with arthritis. M00.841 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, M00.841 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, M00.841 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.
Clarify whether the infection affects multiple joints in the hand or a specific joint. Because M00.841 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 M00.841 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Clarify whether the infection affects multiple joints in the hand or a specific joint
- •Ensure documentation specifies the right hand as the affected site
Clinical Significance
Bacterial arthritis of the right hand involves multiple small joints critical for fine motor function and activities of daily living. This condition requires aggressive treatment to prevent joint destruction and preserve hand dexterity essential for quality of life.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Identification of 'other bacteria' as causative agent
- ✓Specific documentation of right hand joint involvement
- ✓Microbiological confirmation of bacterial infection
- ✓Clinical signs of infectious arthritis in hand joints
- ✓Documentation of systemic antibiotic therapy
- ✓Assessment of hand function and grip strength
- ✓Laboratory evidence of infection (cultures, inflammatory markers)
- ✓Exclusion of cellulitis versus true joint infection
Commonly Confused Codes
- •M00041 — Streptococcal arthritis of right hand (different organism)
- •M00014 — Staphylococcal arthritis of right hand (specific bacteria)
- •M06.841 — Other rheumatoid arthritis of right hand (autoimmune)
- •L03.111 — Cellulitis of right hand (soft tissue, not joint)
- •M19.041 — Primary osteoarthritis of right hand (degenerative)