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M87.033 ICD-10-CM Code: Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius

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

M87.033

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

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius

Death of bone tissue without infection in the forearm bone (radius) when the specific side is not documented.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius represents bone death in the forearm when laterality is not documented, indicating a condition that can significantly impact wrist function and hand mobility.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 92

RAF 0.209

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 39

RAF 0.482

ACA/HHS

0

0

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

HCC 39

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

HCC 80

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official
M87.0Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of bone
M87.03Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of radius, ulna and carpus
M87.033Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M87.033 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M87.033 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
M87.031Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right radius
M87.032Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left radius
M87.034Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right ulna
M87.035Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ulna
M87.036Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified ulna

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M87.033 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M87.033 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M87.033 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M87.033 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M87.033 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting radius bone
Confirmation of idiopathic etiology without identifiable cause
Imaging studies demonstrating bone necrosis in radial structures
Absence of laterality specification in medical documentation

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting radius bone
Confirmation of idiopathic etiology without identifiable cause
Imaging studies demonstrating bone necrosis in radial structures
Absence of laterality specification in medical documentation

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Using unspecified code when laterality is documented elsewhere in record
Missing opportunities to code to higher specificity when side is mentioned
Failing to identify medication or trauma causes requiring different codes
Not reviewing complete documentation for laterality information

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
M87.031 — Right radius when laterality is actually documented
M87.032 — Left radius when side is specified in record
M87.133 — Drug-induced unspecified radius osteonecrosis
M87.233 — Trauma-related unspecified radius osteonecrosis

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is M87.033 an HCC code?

Yes. M87.033 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 92, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.209
V24HCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.482
ESRDHCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.000
RxHCCHCC 80, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis
0.000

RAF weights shown are the community, non-dual, aged base weights from the CMS risk adjustment model file. 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.

MEAT Criteria for M87.033

For M87.033to 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 M87.033 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

M87.033 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius. Death of bone tissue without infection in the forearm bone (radius) when the specific side is not documented. M87.033 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, M87.033 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis (HCC 92) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.209. Under the older V24 model, M87.033 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.482, V28 recalibrated weights across the entire model. 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 available documentation. Because M87.033 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 M87.033 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 available documentation
  • Query the provider to determine if right or left radius is affected for more specific coding

Clinical Significance

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified radius represents bone death in the forearm when laterality is not documented, indicating a condition that can significantly impact wrist function and hand mobility. This diagnosis requires orthopedic management and monitoring for potential progression requiring surgical intervention.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting radius bone
  • Confirmation of idiopathic etiology without identifiable cause
  • Imaging studies demonstrating bone necrosis in radial structures
  • Absence of laterality specification in medical documentation
  • Clinical exclusion of infectious causes
  • Wrist and forearm functional assessment and limitations
  • Treatment plan documentation including therapeutic interventions
  • Pain management strategies and functional impact assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

  • M87.031 — Right radius when laterality is actually documented
  • M87.032 — Left radius when side is specified in record
  • M87.133 — Drug-induced unspecified radius osteonecrosis
  • M87.233 — Trauma-related unspecified radius osteonecrosis
  • M25.533 — Pain in unspecified wrist without bone necrosis

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

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