What is ICD-10 code M00.871?

M00.871 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot. Bacterial infection causing inflammation and swelling in the right ankle and foot joints, caused by bacteria other than the most common types. M00.871 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. M00.871 is part of the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code set published by the CMS National Center for Health Statistics and used on Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims in the United States.

Yes. M00.871 is a billable ICD-10-CM code that can be reported on professional and institutional claims as a primary or secondary diagnosis when the provider documentation supports the specific condition described. Billable codes in ICD-10-CM are coded to the highest level of specificity available for the documented diagnosis. M00.871 is current for fiscal year 2026 and remains in the active CMS ICD-10-CM code set published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for M00.871?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. For M00.871, V28 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis at RAF 0.479 while V24 mapped to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis at RAF 0.401. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting M00.871?

Verify the bacterial organism is documented; if not specified, use M00.879 Confirm right ankle and foot laterality is clearly documented in the medical record Because M00.871 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

2026 ICD-10-CM M00.871: Arthritis due to other

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupM00.871Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) / Infectious arthropathies (M00-M02)

M00.871

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot

Bacterial infection causing inflammation and swelling in the right ankle and foot joints, caused by bacteria other than the most common types.

Buddy Insight

Bacterial arthritis of the right ankle and foot involves multiple complex joints essential for ambulation and balance.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 92

Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft...

RAF 0.479

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 39

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

RAF 0.401

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 55

HHS-HCC 55

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 39

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

RAF 0.092

RXHCC

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

Code Book Path

Official

M00.8Arthritis and polyarthritis due to other bacteria

M00.87Arthritis due to other bacteria, ankle and foot

M00.871Arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot

Inclusion Terms

Official

Arthritis due to other bacteria, tarsus, metatarsus, and phalanges

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M00.871 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

M00.872Arthritis due to other bacteria, left ankle and foot

M00.879Arthritis due to other bacteria, unspecified ankle and foot

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M00.871 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M00.871 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M00.871 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M00.871 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M00.871 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmation of 'other bacteria' as causative organism

Specific documentation of right ankle and foot involvement

Microbiological evidence of bacterial infection

Clinical presentation of infectious arthritis

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmation of 'other bacteria' as causative organism

Specific documentation of right ankle and foot involvement

Microbiological evidence of bacterial infection

Clinical presentation of infectious arthritis

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Confusing with foot cellulitis or plantar fasciitis

Misclassifying bacterial type when organism identified

Incorrect laterality despite documentation

Coding soft tissue infection instead of joint infection

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

M00071 — Streptococcal arthritis of right ankle/foot (different organism)

M00017 — Staphylococcal arthritis of right ankle/foot (specific bacteria)

M06.871 — Other rheumatoid arthritis of right ankle/foot (autoimmune)

L03.116 — Cellulitis of right foot (soft tissue infection)

Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →

Is M00.871 an HCC code?

Yes. M00.871 (Arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot) maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.479. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: M00.871 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: M00.871
Description: Arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot
HCC (V28): HCC 92 — Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis
RAF: 0.479
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis

0.479

V24HCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.401

ESRDHCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.092

Each model's RAF is its CMS base weight for that model's standard population, so weights are not directly comparable across models: CMS-HCC V28 and V24 use Community, Non-Dual, Aged; ESRD uses the dialysis continuing-enrollee model; RxHCC is the Part D continuing-enrollee, non-low-income, aged weight (a larger scale than CMS-HCC). ACA/HHS has no single weight — it varies by metal level. 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.

Work M00.871 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M00.871

For M00.871 to 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 M00.871 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M00.871 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for arthritis due to other bacteria, right ankle and foot. Bacterial infection causing inflammation and swelling in the right ankle and foot joints, caused by bacteria other than the most common types. M00.871 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, M00.871 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis (HCC 92) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.479. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, M00.871 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis (HCC 39) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.401. 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 bacterial organism is documented; if not specified, use M00.879. Because M00.871 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 M00.871 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Verify the bacterial organism is documented; if not specified, use M00.879
•Confirm right ankle and foot laterality is clearly documented in the medical record

Clinical Significance

Bacterial arthritis of the right ankle and foot involves multiple complex joints essential for ambulation and balance. This condition can severely impact mobility and requires aggressive treatment to prevent permanent disability and chronic pain syndromes.