What is ICD-10 code M87.238?

M87.238 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus. Death of bone tissue in the wrist bones on the left side caused by a previous injury, resulting in bone deterioration and potential loss of function. M87.238 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. M87.238 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. M87.238 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. M87.238 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 M87.238 map to under V28?

M87.238 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.

2026 ICD-10-CM M87.238: Osteonecrosis due

M87.238 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 lookupM87.238Effective 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)

M87.238

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

Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus

Death of bone tissue in the wrist bones on the left side caused by a previous injury, resulting in bone deterioration and potential loss of function.

Buddy Insight

Left carpal osteonecrosis secondary to trauma represents a complex musculoskeletal condition requiring specialized orthopedic management and potentially impacting patient's dominant hand function.

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

Mapped

HCC 80

Aseptic Necrosis of Bone

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official

M87.2Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma

M87.23Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of radius, ulna and carpus

M87.238Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M87.238 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M87.238 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

M87.231Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of right radius

M87.232Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left radius

M87.233Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of unspecified radius

M87.234Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of right ulna

M87.235Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left ulna

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M87.238 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M87.238 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M87.238 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M87.238 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M87.238 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific identification of left carpus involvement

Clear documentation of previous trauma to the left wrist

Radiological or clinical evidence of osteonecrosis in carpal bones

Functional assessment and impact on daily activities

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Specific identification of left carpus involvement

Clear documentation of previous trauma to the left wrist

Radiological or clinical evidence of osteonecrosis in carpal bones

Functional assessment and impact on daily activities

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Incorrect laterality assignment when documentation specifies left versus right

Using unspecified laterality codes when left side is clearly documented

Confusing with non-traumatic secondary osteonecrosis of the carpus

Mixing carpal osteonecrosis with broader hand osteonecrosis codes

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

M87.237 — Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of right carpus (wrong laterality)

M87.239 — Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of unspecified carpus (when laterality is known)

M87.338 — Other secondary osteonecrosis of left carpus (non-traumatic secondary cause)

M87.242 — Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma, left hand (broader hand involvement)

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 M87.238 an HCC code?

Yes. M87.238 (Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus) 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: M87.238 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: M87.238
Description: Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus
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 M87.238 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M87.238

For M87.238 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 M87.238 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M87.238 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of left carpus. Death of bone tissue in the wrist bones on the left side caused by a previous injury, resulting in bone deterioration and potential loss of function. M87.238 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, M87.238 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 M87.238; 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.

Confirm documentation specifies left side to differentiate from right or unspecified codes. Because M87.238 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 M87.238 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Confirm documentation specifies left side to differentiate from right or unspecified codes
•Link to the original trauma documentation if available to support medical necessity

Clinical Significance

Left carpal osteonecrosis secondary to trauma represents a complex musculoskeletal condition requiring specialized orthopedic management and potentially impacting patient's dominant hand function. The condition often progresses without appropriate intervention and may necessitate advanced surgical procedures.

Documentation Requirements

✓Specific identification of left carpus involvement
✓Clear documentation of previous trauma to the left wrist
✓Radiological or clinical evidence of osteonecrosis in carpal bones
✓Functional assessment and impact on daily activities
✓Timeline from initial trauma to osteonecrosis diagnosis
✓Current pain levels and mobility restrictions
✓Any concurrent conditions or complications
✓Treatment history and patient response to interventions

Commonly Confused Codes

•M87.237: Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of right carpus (wrong laterality)
•M87.239: Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma of unspecified carpus (when laterality is known)
•M87.338: Other secondary osteonecrosis of left carpus (non-traumatic secondary cause)
•M87.242: Osteonecrosis due to previous trauma, left hand (broader hand involvement)
•M84.334A: Stress fracture, left radius (different bone and acute condition)