What is ICD-10 code M87.144?

M87.144 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Osteonecrosis due to drugs, right finger(s). Death of bone tissue in the fingers of the right hand caused by medication side effects, potentially affecting grip strength and fine motor function. M87.144 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. M87.144 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. M87.144 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. M87.144 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 M87.144 map to under V28?

M87.144 does not map to a CMS-HCC V28 payment category. Check the current CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026 rather than an older V24 tip sheet.

What does M87.144 pay in RAF?

M87.144 has no separately stated V28 community RAF weight. If it is not a V28 payment HCC, it adds nothing to a community RAF score.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for M87.144?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. M87.144 was a payment HCC under V24 (Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis) but the V28 recalibration removed it from the risk adjustment model. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What documentation supports M87.144?

This code applies to one or more fingers on the right hand; if multiple fingers are affected, this single code still applies Document which specific fingers are involved in clinical notes to support the diagnosis and treatment planning Because M87.144 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. 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 M87.144: Osteonecrosis due to drugs

M87.144 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. 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.

Code lookupM87.144Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

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

M87.144

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

Osteonecrosis due to drugs, right finger(s)

Death of bone tissue in the fingers of the right hand caused by medication side effects, potentially affecting grip strength and fine motor function.

Buddy Insight

Drug-induced osteonecrosis of right fingers represents medication-related bone death specifically affecting finger bones, with potential severe impact on fine motor function and daily activities.

CMS-HCC V28

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 39

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

RAF 0.401

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 55

HHS-HCC 55

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 39

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

RAF 0.092

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 80

Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/...

RAF 0.204

Code Book Path

Official

M87.1Osteonecrosis due to drugs

M87.14Osteonecrosis due to drugs, hand and fingers

M87.144Osteonecrosis due to drugs, right finger(s)

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M87.144 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M87.144 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

M87.141Osteonecrosis due to drugs, right hand

M87.142Osteonecrosis due to drugs, left hand

M87.143Osteonecrosis due to drugs, unspecified hand

M87.145Osteonecrosis due to drugs, left finger(s)

M87.146Osteonecrosis due to drugs, unspecified finger(s)

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M87.144 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M87.144 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M87.144 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M87.144 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M87.144 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific documentation of right finger involvement in osteonecrosis

Identification of causative medication with exposure timeline

Imaging studies confirming finger bone necrosis

Assessment of fine motor function and pinch strength

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific documentation of right finger involvement in osteonecrosis

Identification of causative medication with exposure timeline

Imaging studies confirming finger bone necrosis

Assessment of fine motor function and pinch strength

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Using broader hand codes when finger-specific involvement is documented

Missing laterality specification when right side is clearly stated

Failing to establish drug causation in finger osteonecrosis cases

Confusing acute finger injuries with chronic drug-induced necrosis

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

M87.141 — Right hand osteonecrosis includes broader hand involvement

M87.145 — Left finger osteonecrosis, opposite laterality

M87.146 — Unspecified finger when right side is documented

S62.6 — Acute finger fracture is traumatic, not chronic drug-induced

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 M87.144 an HCC code?

Yes. M87.144 maps to Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis under the V24 model but is not retained in V28.

Code: M87.144
Description: Osteonecrosis due to drugs, right finger(s)
HCC (V28): No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
RAF: —
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.401

ESRDHCC 39, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.092

RxHCCHCC 80, Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.204

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 M87.144 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M87.144

For M87.144 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 M87.144 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

Get the V28 RAF + MEAT cheat sheet

One printable page: confirm a code's V28 HCC status, its RAF weight, and the MEAT your note needs to make it stick. Free, no card.

Free PDF. No card. Unsubscribe anytime.

What This Code Means

M87.144 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for osteonecrosis due to drugs, right finger(s). Death of bone tissue in the fingers of the right hand caused by medication side effects, potentially affecting grip strength and fine motor function. M87.144 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 older CMS-HCC V24 model, M87.144 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.

This code applies to one or more fingers on the right hand; if multiple fingers are affected, this single code still applies. Because M87.144 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 M87.144 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•This code applies to one or more fingers on the right hand; if multiple fingers are affected, this single code still applies
•Document which specific fingers are involved in clinical notes to support the diagnosis and treatment planning

Clinical Significance

Drug-induced osteonecrosis of right fingers represents medication-related bone death specifically affecting finger bones, with potential severe impact on fine motor function and daily activities. This condition requires specialized hand surgery evaluation and may necessitate complex reconstructive procedures to preserve function.