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M08.829 ICD-10-CM Code: Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow

M08.829 maps to CMS-HCC V28 93. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC Buddy coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

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

M08.829

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

Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow

A form of childhood arthritis affecting the elbow, but the specific side (left or right) is not documented.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Other juvenile arthritis affecting an unspecified elbow represents pediatric inflammatory arthritis where elbow involvement is documented but laterality is not specified.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 93

Code-level coefficient reference

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Historical

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

HCC 056

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

HCC 40

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

HCC 83

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official
M08.8Other juvenile arthritis
M08.82Other juvenile arthritis, elbow
M08.829Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M08.829 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M08.829 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
M08.821Other juvenile arthritis, right elbow
M08.822Other juvenile arthritis, left elbow

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M08.829 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M08.829 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M08.829 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M08.829 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M08.829 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Physician diagnosis of juvenile arthritis not classified as standard JRA
Documentation of elbow involvement without laterality specification
Clinical evidence of inflammatory changes in elbow joint
Confirmation of pediatric onset (typically before age 16)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Physician diagnosis of juvenile arthritis not classified as standard JRA
Documentation of elbow involvement without laterality specification
Clinical evidence of inflammatory changes in elbow joint
Confirmation of pediatric onset (typically before age 16)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Using this code when laterality information is available in documentation
Failing to query provider for specific elbow involved when possible
Confusion between different categories of juvenile arthritis
Coding symptom-based diagnoses instead of inflammatory arthritis

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
M08.821 — Specific right elbow versus unspecified elbow
M08.822 — Specific left elbow versus unspecified elbow
M08.80 — Unspecified site versus documented elbow involvement
M25.529 — Elbow pain unspecified versus inflammatory arthritis

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 M08.829 an HCC code?

Yes. M08.829 (Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow) maps to HCC 93, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.617. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: M08.829 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 93, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code
M08.829
Description
Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow
HCC (V28)
HCC 93 — Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders
RAF reference coefficient
0.617
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 93, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders
0.617
ESRDHCC 40, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Inflammatory Connective Tissue Disease
Not separately weighted
RxHCCHCC 83, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Inflammatory Polyarthropathy
Not separately weighted

These are source-labeled model coefficients, not member totals. A category may still be removed by hierarchy or model cleanup rules. 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 context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains available for historical review.

Work M08.829 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M08.829

For M08.829 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 M08.829 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M08.829 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow. A form of childhood arthritis affecting the elbow, but the specific side (left or right) is not documented. M08.829 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, M08.829 maps to Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders (HCC 93) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.617. No V24 mapping is shown for M08.829; use the applicable model and payment year when reviewing the V28 mapping. 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. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

Use only when the medical record does not specify which elbow is affected. Because M08.829 maps to an HCC category, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment. 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, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for M08.829 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • •Use only when the medical record does not specify which elbow is affected
  • •Query provider for clarification if documentation suggests bilateral elbow involvement

Clinical Significance

Other juvenile arthritis affecting an unspecified elbow represents pediatric inflammatory arthritis where elbow involvement is documented but laterality is not specified. This condition requires comprehensive rheumatologic management to preserve elbow function and prevent complications that could significantly impact the child's upper extremity use and overall quality of life.

Documentation Requirements

  • ✓Physician diagnosis of juvenile arthritis not classified as standard JRA
  • ✓Documentation of elbow involvement without laterality specification
  • ✓Clinical evidence of inflammatory changes in elbow joint
  • ✓Confirmation of pediatric onset (typically before age 16)
  • ✓Laboratory studies supporting inflammatory arthritis when available
  • ✓Physical examination documenting elbow joint inflammation
  • ✓Treatment plan addressing elbow-specific therapeutic considerations
  • ✓Assessment of functional impact on upper extremity activities

Commonly Confused Codes

  • •M08.821: Specific right elbow versus unspecified elbow
  • •M08.822: Specific left elbow versus unspecified elbow
  • •M08.80: Unspecified site versus documented elbow involvement
  • •M25.529: Elbow pain unspecified versus inflammatory arthritis
  • •M08.9: Juvenile arthritis unspecified versus other juvenile arthritis

Child Codes

M08.821Other juvenile arthritis, right elbow
HCC 93
M08.822Other juvenile arthritis, left elbow
HCC 93
M08.829Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow
HCC 93

Code Hierarchy

└M08Juvenile arthritis└M08.8Other juvenile arthritis└M08.82Other juvenile arthritis, elbow└M08.829Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow
└M08.829Other juvenile arthritis, unspecified elbow

Because M08.829 maps to an HCC category, the documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment.

M08.829 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 93, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Specified Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. The mapping identifies a payment HCC category for M08.829. Review its source-labeled HCC coefficient above, check the RAF Calculator with complete member context for CMS-HCC V28 PY2026, and confirm the documentation the chart needs before the code is submitted. HCC Buddy shows no RAF score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

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Open M08.829 in the Code Book for the full Index-to-Tabular path, MEAT checklist, and V28 HCC mapping, or in the Encoder to code from a keyword search. Pro includes 7 days to try everything, no card required.

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