M02.142
BillablePostdysenteric arthropathy, left hand
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is M02.142 an HCC code?
Yes. M02.142 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 M02.142
For M02.142to 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 M02.142 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
M02.142 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for postdysenteric arthropathy, left hand. Joint inflammation and pain in the left hand that develops after a dysentery infection (severe diarrheal illness). M02.142 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, M02.142 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, M02.142 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.
Confirm documentation specifies left hand involvement rather than right or bilateral. Because M02.142 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 M02.142 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm documentation specifies left hand involvement rather than right or bilateral
- •Link this code to the original dysentery diagnosis for complete clinical picture
Clinical Significance
Postdysenteric arthropathy of the left hand represents a chronic reactive arthritis following dysentery that significantly affects hand function and fine motor skills. This condition has substantial impact on patient quality of life and requires ongoing management due to its inflammatory post-infectious nature.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documented history of dysentery or severe diarrheal infection
- ✓Left hand joint involvement specifically identified
- ✓Evidence of arthropathy affecting hand joint structures
- ✓Established timeline between infection and hand symptoms
- ✓Chronic nature of joint inflammation documented
- ✓Functional assessment of hand impairment
- ✓Physical examination findings supporting arthritis diagnosis
Commonly Confused Codes
- •M02.141 — Postdysenteric arthropathy, right hand (opposite laterality)
- •M02.149 — Postdysenteric arthropathy, unspecified hand (when laterality unknown)
- •M02.132 — Postdysenteric arthropathy, left wrist (different anatomical location)
- •M00.042 — Staphylococcal arthritis, left hand (septic arthritis, not reactive)
- •M19.042 — Primary osteoarthritis, left hand (degenerative, not post-infectious)