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M86.339 ICD-10-CM Code: Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna

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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) / Other osteopathies (M86-M90)

M86.339

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

Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna

A chronic bone infection affecting multiple areas of the forearm bones (radius and ulna) when the specific side (left or right) is not documented or specified.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

This diagnosis indicates chronic multifocal osteomyelitis affecting the radius and ulna when laterality is not specified, representing a significant infectious disease requiring long-term management.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 92

RAF 0.479

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 39

RAF 0.401

ACA/HHS

HCC 55

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 39

RAF 0.092

RXHCC

N/A

Not mapped

Code Book Path

Official
M86.3Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis
M86.33Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, radius and ulna
M86.339Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M86.339 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M86.339 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
M86.331Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, right radius and ulna
M86.332Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, left radius and ulna

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M86.339 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M86.339 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M86.339 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M86.339 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M86.339 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of radius and ulna involvement (both bones)
Evidence of chronic infection (>6 weeks duration or recurrent)
Confirmation of multifocal pattern within affected bones
Radiological findings consistent with chronic osteomyelitis

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of radius and ulna involvement (both bones)
Evidence of chronic infection (>6 weeks duration or recurrent)
Confirmation of multifocal pattern within affected bones
Radiological findings consistent with chronic osteomyelitis

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Using this code when laterality is documented elsewhere in the record
Confusing with acute osteomyelitis presentations
Missing the multifocal component of the diagnosis
Using when only single bone (radius or ulna) is affected

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
M86.331/332 — Same condition but with specified laterality (right/left)
M86.139 — Acute osteomyelitis of unspecified radius and ulna, acute vs chronic
M86.439 — Chronic osteomyelitis with draining sinus, includes drainage
M86.539 — Other chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis, different etiology

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 M86.339 an HCC code?

Yes. M86.339 (Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna) maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.479. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: M86.339 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
M86.339
Description
Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna
HCC (V28)
HCC 92 — Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis
RAF
0.479
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis
0.479
V24HCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.401
ESRDHCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.092

Each model's RAF is its CMS base weight for that model's standard population, so 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 segment, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains in use during the transition and for historical data.

Work M86.339 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M86.339

For M86.339 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 M86.339 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M86.339 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for chronic multifocal osteomyelitis, unspecified radius and ulna. A chronic bone infection affecting multiple areas of the forearm bones (radius and ulna) when the specific side (left or right) is not documented or specified. M86.339 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (m00-m99), within the section covering other osteopathies (m86-m90).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, M86.339 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis (HCC 92) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.479. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, M86.339 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis (HCC 39) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.401. 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.

Use this code only when laterality cannot be determined from the medical record. Because M86.339 maps to a payment HCC, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's Medicare Advantage risk adjustment score. 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, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for M86.339 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 laterality cannot be determined from the medical record
  • Query the provider if laterality is missing, as more specific codes are preferred

Clinical Significance

This diagnosis indicates chronic multifocal osteomyelitis affecting the radius and ulna when laterality is not specified, representing a significant infectious disease requiring long-term management. The condition poses risks for functional impairment and potential systemic complications if inadequately treated.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation of radius and ulna involvement (both bones)
  • Evidence of chronic infection (>6 weeks duration or recurrent)
  • Confirmation of multifocal pattern within affected bones
  • Radiological findings consistent with chronic osteomyelitis
  • Clinical symptoms (bone pain, swelling, decreased function)
  • Laboratory evidence (inflammatory markers, culture results when available)
  • Treatment documentation (antibiotic regimens, surgical history)
  • Absence of specific laterality documentation in the medical record

Commonly Confused Codes

  • M86.331/332: Same condition but with specified laterality (right/left)
  • M86.139: Acute osteomyelitis of unspecified radius and ulna, acute vs chronic
  • M86.439: Chronic osteomyelitis with draining sinus, includes drainage
  • M86.539: Other chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis, different etiology
  • M86.9: Unspecified osteomyelitis, lacks chronic multifocal specificity

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because M86.339 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

M86.339 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle/Severe Soft Tissue Infections/Necrosis. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. Because M86.339 carries a payment HCC, you can see what it adds to a RAF score and check the documentation the chart needs before it is submitted.

Work M86.339 in HCC Buddy

Open M86.339 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.