Skip to content

M87.072 ICD-10-CM Code: Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle

M87.072 maps to CMS-HCC V28 92. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC Buddy coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

HCC Buddy Code Card

Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

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

M87.072

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

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle

Death of bone tissue in the left ankle without infection, occurring without a known cause.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of the left ankle indicates bone death without infection in the left ankle joint structures, occurring without identifiable cause.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 92

Code-level coefficient reference

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Historical

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

HCC 055

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

HCC 39

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

HCC 80

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official
M87.0Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of bone
M87.07Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of ankle, foot and toes
M87.072Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle

Inclusion Terms

Official
  • Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of metatarsus, tarsus, and phalanges of toes

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M87.072 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
M87.071Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right ankle
M87.073Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified ankle
M87.074Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right foot
M87.075Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left foot
M87.076Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of unspecified foot

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M87.072 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M87.072 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M87.072 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M87.072 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M87.072 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting left ankle
Evidence of idiopathic etiology (unknown cause)
Imaging confirmation of ankle bone necrosis without infection
Assessment of ankle joint stability and function

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting left ankle
Evidence of idiopathic etiology (unknown cause)
Imaging confirmation of ankle bone necrosis without infection
Assessment of ankle joint stability and function

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Confusing with infectious ankle conditions
Using when specific cause is documented
Not documenting laterality when available
Missing associated ankle deformity or instability

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
M87.071 — Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right ankle affects opposite side
M86.672 — Chronic osteomyelitis left ankle/foot involves infection
M87.272 — Osteonecrosis due to drugs of left ankle has identifiable cause
M25.572 — Pain in left ankle doesn't indicate bone necrosis

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 M87.072 an HCC code?

Yes. M87.072 (Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle) 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: M87.072 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
M87.072
Description
Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle
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
RxHCCHCC 80, Aseptic Necrosis of Bone
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 M87.072 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M87.072

For M87.072 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 M87.072 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

Get the V28 mapping + MEAT cheat sheet

One printable reference: check representative V28 mappings and the documentation reminders your note needs. Free, no card.

Free PDF. No card. Unsubscribe anytime.

What This Code Means

M87.072 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for idiopathic aseptic necrosis of left ankle. Death of bone tissue in the left ankle without infection, occurring without a known cause. M87.072 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, M87.072 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 M87.072; 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.

Verify left-sided involvement is clearly documented in the clinical notes. Because M87.072 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 M87.072 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Verify left-sided involvement is clearly documented in the clinical notes
  • Consider imaging findings (MRI or CT) that confirm avascular necrosis of the ankle

Clinical Significance

Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of the left ankle indicates bone death without infection in the left ankle joint structures, occurring without identifiable cause. This condition poses significant threat to ankle function and mobility, requiring specialized management to preserve joint integrity and prevent progression to ankle collapse or arthritis.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation of aseptic necrosis affecting left ankle
  • Evidence of idiopathic etiology (unknown cause)
  • Imaging confirmation of ankle bone necrosis without infection
  • Assessment of ankle joint stability and function
  • Exclusion of known causes of osteonecrosis
  • Documentation ruling out infectious ankle conditions
  • Treatment approach for joint preservation
  • Functional impact assessment on ambulation

Commonly Confused Codes

  • M87.071: Idiopathic aseptic necrosis of right ankle affects opposite side
  • M86.672: Chronic osteomyelitis left ankle/foot involves infection
  • M87.272: Osteonecrosis due to drugs of left ankle has identifiable cause
  • M25.572: Pain in left ankle doesn't indicate bone necrosis

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because M87.072 maps to an HCC category, the documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment.

M87.072 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. The mapping identifies a payment HCC category for M87.072. 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.

Work M87.072 in HCC Buddy

Open M87.072 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.