M08.242

Billable

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left hand

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 93 — Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease

0.175

V24HCC 40 — Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease

0.307

ESRDHCC 40 — Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease

0.000

RxHCCHCC 83 — Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease

0.000

What This Code Means

A type of childhood arthritis that affects the left hand and causes inflammation throughout the body, including fever and rash.

Coding Tips

•Document specific hand structures involved (metacarpophalangeal joints, interphalangeal joints) when available
•Ensure hand is clearly distinguished from wrist involvement in the medical record

Clinical Significance

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset represents a severe form of childhood arthritis with significant systemic inflammation requiring intensive management. This diagnosis indicates high healthcare resource utilization with potential for serious complications including growth retardation, joint destruction, and multi-organ involvement.

Documentation Requirements

✓Patient age at onset (must be under 16 years)
✓Evidence of systemic symptoms (fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly)
✓Documentation of left hand joint involvement with inflammation
✓Laboratory evidence of systemic inflammation (elevated ESR, CRP)
✓Exclusion of other causes of arthritis and systemic illness
✓Duration of symptoms (minimum 6 weeks for JRA diagnosis)
✓Physical examination findings of joint swelling, warmth, or limited range of motion
✓Assessment of functional impact on activities of daily living

Commonly Confused Codes

M08.20 — Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, unspecified site (use when specific joint not documented)M08.3 — Juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis seronegative (affects multiple joints without systemic symptoms)M06.9 — Rheumatoid arthritis, unspecified (for adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis)M79.3 — Panniculitis, unspecified (may be confused due to systemic symptoms)L93.0 — Discoid lupus erythematosus (rash may be similar to JRA rash)

Code Hierarchy

└M08Juvenile arthritis └M08.2Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset └M08.24Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, hand └M08.242Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left hand

└M08.242Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left hand