Question 1

What is ICD-10 code M23.204?

Accepted Answer

M23.204 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for derangement of unspecified medial meniscus due to old tear or injury, left knee. Damage to the inner cartilage (medial meniscus) of the left knee from an old tear or injury that has caused structural problems. M23.204 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (m00-m99), within the section covering other joint disorders (m20-m25).

M23.204 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

Confirm laterality is documented as left knee in the medical record before assigning this code.

Question 2

Is M23.204 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. M23.204 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any payment HCC category under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can still be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions, but it does not contribute to the beneficiary's Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) score and therefore does not affect the risk-adjusted capitation payment to the plan. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026.

Question 3

Is M23.204 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. M23.204 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. M23.204 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.

Question 4

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for M23.204?

Accepted Answer

M23.204 does not map to a payment HCC under either the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model or the older V24 model. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition. Because neither model rewards M23.204 with a risk adjustment factor, it contributes zero to a Medicare Advantage beneficiary's RAF score in either version. Coders should check whether provider documentation supports a more specific child code that does map to a payment HCC.

Question 5

What should coders know when reporting M23.204?

Accepted Answer

Confirm laterality is documented as left knee in the medical record before assigning this code Distinguish between acute tears and chronic derangement from old injuries to ensure accurate code selection

M23.204

Is M23.204 an HCC code?

What This Code Means

Coding Tips

Code Hierarchy

Open M23.204 in the Interactive Encoder