What is ICD-10 code M05.541?

M05.541 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of right hand. A condition where rheumatoid arthritis affects the right hand and causes nerve damage in multiple areas of the body. M05.541 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. M05.541 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. M05.541 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. M05.541 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 M05.541?

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. M05.541 is a payment HCC under V28 (Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease) but was not retained as a payment HCC under V24. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting M05.541?

This code requires documentation of both rheumatoid arthritis and polyneuropathy affecting the right hand specifically Verify laterality is documented as right; do not use this code if the hand side is unspecified or bilateral Because M05.541 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.

M05.541 ICD-10 Code: Rheumatoid polyneuropathy

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

Code lookupM05.541Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) / Inflammatory polyarthropathies (M05-M14)

M05.541

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

Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of right hand

A condition where rheumatoid arthritis affects the right hand and causes nerve damage in multiple areas of the body.

Buddy Insight

This diagnosis represents rheumatoid arthritis affecting the right hand with polyneuropathy, indicating systemic inflammatory disease with neurological complications.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 93

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Infl...

RAF 0.175

CMS-HCC V24

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ACA/HHS

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

RXHCC

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official

M05.5Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis

M05.54Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of hand

M05.541Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of right hand

Inclusion Terms

Official

Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis, metacarpus and phalanges

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M05.541 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

M05.542Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of left hand

M05.549Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of unspecified hand

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M05.541 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M05.541 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M05.541 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M05.541 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M05.541 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmed rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis with established clinical criteria

Specific documentation of right hand joint involvement

Clinical evidence of polyneuropathy affecting multiple nerves

Neurological examination demonstrating sensory or motor deficits

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmed rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis with established clinical criteria

Specific documentation of right hand joint involvement

Clinical evidence of polyneuropathy affecting multiple nerves

Neurological examination demonstrating sensory or motor deficits

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Confusing right and left hand laterality

Using unspecified hand when right hand is documented

Missing polyneuropathy component and coding only hand arthritis

Confusing with carpal tunnel or other focal nerve conditions

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

M05.542 — Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with RA of left hand (different laterality)

M05.549 — Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with RA of unspecified hand (when laterality unknown)

M06.841 — Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, right hand (lacks polyneuropathy)

G56.01 — Carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper limb (different nerve condition)

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is M05.541 an HCC code?

Yes. M05.541 maps to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model.

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 93, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease

0.175

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 M05.541

For M05.541to 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 M05.541 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

M05.541 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for rheumatoid polyneuropathy with rheumatoid arthritis of right hand. A condition where rheumatoid arthritis affects the right hand and causes nerve damage in multiple areas of the body. M05.541 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (m00-m99), within the section covering inflammatory polyarthropathies (m05-m14).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, M05.541 maps to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease (HCC 93) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.175. M05.541 was not retained as a payment HCC under the older V24 model, so V28 introduced or recategorized it during the 2024–2026 phase-in. 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.

This code requires documentation of both rheumatoid arthritis and polyneuropathy affecting the right hand specifically. Because M05.541 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 M05.541 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•This code requires documentation of both rheumatoid arthritis and polyneuropathy affecting the right hand specifically
•Verify laterality is documented as right; do not use this code if the hand side is unspecified or bilateral

Clinical Significance

This diagnosis represents rheumatoid arthritis affecting the right hand with polyneuropathy, indicating systemic inflammatory disease with neurological complications. Hand RA severely impacts fine motor skills and activities of daily living, while polyneuropathy adds neurological complexity requiring specialized care and rehabilitation.

Documentation Requirements

✓Confirmed rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis with established clinical criteria
✓Specific documentation of right hand joint involvement
✓Clinical evidence of polyneuropathy affecting multiple nerves
✓Neurological examination demonstrating sensory or motor deficits
✓Assessment of right hand function and grip strength
✓Laboratory or imaging studies supporting inflammatory hand arthritis
✓Treatment plan addressing both hand arthritis and polyneuropathy

Commonly Confused Codes

•M05.542: Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with RA of left hand (different laterality)
•M05.549: Rheumatoid polyneuropathy with RA of unspecified hand (when laterality unknown)
•M06.841: Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, right hand (lacks polyneuropathy)
•G56.01: Carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper limb (different nerve condition)
•M25.541: Pain in joints, right hand (symptom only)