What is ICD-10 code M46.30?

M46.30 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified. A bacterial infection of the intervertebral discs (the cushions between vertebrae) when the specific location in the spine is not documented. M46.30 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. M46.30 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. M46.30 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. M46.30 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.

Which HCC does M46.30 map to under V28?

M46.30 maps to CMS-HCC V28 HCC 92 (Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis). The category numbers, labels, and conditions come from the CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026.

What documentation supports M46.30?

Use this code only when the anatomical site is truly unspecified; always attempt to obtain specific location documentation If the site becomes known during the episode of care, update the code to the more specific regional variant Because M46.30 maps to an HCC category, the documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment. See the MEAT criteria checklist at /meat-criteria for what Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat looks like in a note. MEAT is generic documentation evidence, not a payer-specific rule.

2026 ICD-10-CM M46.30: Infection of intervertebral

M46.30 maps to CMS-HCC V28 92. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC coding software

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Code lookupM46.30Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) / Spondylopathies (M45-M49)

M46.30

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

Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified

A bacterial infection of the intervertebral discs (the cushions between vertebrae) when the specific location in the spine is not documented.

Buddy Insight

Pyogenic intervertebral disc infections represent serious spinal infections requiring aggressive antibiotic therapy and monitoring for neurological complications.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 92

Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft...

Code-level coefficient reference

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Not used for standard CY2026 Medicare Advantage payment. Select a historical period to review V24.

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 055

HHS-HCC 055 adult, RAF varies...

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 39

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

Code Book Path

Official

M46Other inflammatory spondylopathies

M46.3Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic)

M46.30Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M46.30 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M46.30 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

M46.31Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), occipito-atlanto-axial region

M46.32Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervical region

M46.33Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervicothoracic region

M46.34Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracic region

M46.35Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), thoracolumbar region

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M46.30 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M46.30 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M46.30 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M46.30 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmation of pyogenic (bacterial) etiology

Imaging evidence of disc space infection

Blood cultures or tissue biopsy results when available

Associated symptoms (fever, back pain, neurological deficits)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Confirmation of pyogenic (bacterial) etiology

Imaging evidence of disc space infection

Blood cultures or tissue biopsy results when available

Associated symptoms (fever, back pain, neurological deficits)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Using unspecified code when anatomical site is documented in record

Failing to distinguish between pyogenic and other infectious causes

Missing associated osteomyelitis that may require additional coding

Not documenting organism when culture results are available

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

M46.31-M46.39 — Site-specific pyogenic disc infections when location is documented

M46.50 — Other infective spondylopathies when organism is non-bacterial

M51.36 — Other intervertebral disc degeneration when not infectious

G06.1 — Intraspinal abscess when infection extends beyond disc space

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 M46.30 an HCC code?

Yes. M46.30 (Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified) maps to HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.479. 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: M46.30 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: M46.30
Description: Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified
HCC (V28): HCC 92 — Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis
RAF reference coefficient: 0.479
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis

0.479

ESRDHCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

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 M46.30 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M46.30

For M46.30 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 M46.30 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M46.30 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified. A bacterial infection of the intervertebral discs (the cushions between vertebrae) when the specific location in the spine is not documented. M46.30 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (m00-m99), within the section covering spondylopathies (m45-m49).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, M46.30 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis (HCC 92) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.479. No V24 mapping is shown for M46.30; 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 this code only when the anatomical site is truly unspecified; always attempt to obtain specific location documentation. Because M46.30 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 M46.30 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when the anatomical site is truly unspecified; always attempt to obtain specific location documentation
•If the site becomes known during the episode of care, update the code to the more specific regional variant

Clinical Significance

Pyogenic intervertebral disc infections represent serious spinal infections requiring aggressive antibiotic therapy and monitoring for neurological complications. These infections can rapidly progress to vertebral osteomyelitis or epidural abscess if untreated.

Documentation Requirements

✓Confirmation of pyogenic (bacterial) etiology
✓Imaging evidence of disc space infection
✓Blood cultures or tissue biopsy results when available
✓Associated symptoms (fever, back pain, neurological deficits)
✓Duration and progression of infection
✓Response to antibiotic therapy
✓Any complications such as abscess formation
✓Specific site documentation when possible for more precise coding

Commonly Confused Codes

•M46.31-M46.39: Site-specific pyogenic disc infections when location is documented
•M46.50: Other infective spondylopathies when organism is non-bacterial
•M51.36: Other intervertebral disc degeneration when not infectious
•G06.1: Intraspinal abscess when infection extends beyond disc space