M08.3

Billable

Juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis (seronegative)

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 affecting multiple joints where blood tests for rheumatoid factor are negative.

Coding Tips

•Confirm seronegative status (negative RF and anti-CCP antibodies) is documented
•Polyarticular presentation requires involvement of five or more joints

Clinical Significance

Juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis (seronegative) represents a significant chronic childhood condition affecting multiple joints without systemic features or positive rheumatoid factor. This diagnosis requires ongoing rheumatologic care, potential for joint destruction, and significant impact on growth and development, particularly in young girls who are more commonly affected.

Documentation Requirements

✓Patient age at onset (must be under 16 years)
✓Involvement of 5 or more joints within first 6 months of disease
✓Negative rheumatoid factor testing documented
✓Absence of systemic symptoms (fever, rash, organomegaly)
✓Duration of symptoms (minimum 6 weeks for JRA diagnosis)
✓Physical examination findings of multiple joint inflammation
✓Laboratory evidence of inflammation (elevated ESR, CRP)
✓Exclusion of other causes of polyarthritis

Commonly Confused Codes

M08.2x — Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset (has systemic features like fever, rash)M08.4x — Pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (affects 4 or fewer joints)M08.0x — Unclassified juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (doesn't fit typical patterns)M06.9 — Rheumatoid arthritis, unspecified (for adult-onset disease)M08.1x — Juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (primarily affects spine and sacroiliac joints)

Code Hierarchy

└M08Juvenile arthritis └M08.3Juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis (seronegative)

└M08.3Juvenile rheumatoid polyarthritis (seronegative)