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M87.871 ICD-10-CM Code: Other osteonecrosis, right ankle

M87.871 maps to CMS-HCC V28 92 (RAF 0.479). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software

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

M87.871

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

Other osteonecrosis, right ankle

Death of bone tissue in the right ankle joint due to causes other than trauma or radiation.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Right ankle osteonecrosis represents avascular bone death in a critical weight-bearing joint, potentially leading to joint collapse and severe functional impairment.

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

HCC 80

RAF 0.204

Code Book Path

Official
M87.8Other osteonecrosis
M87.87Other osteonecrosis, ankle, foot and toes
M87.871Other osteonecrosis, right ankle

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for M87.871 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for M87.871 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
M87.872Other osteonecrosis, left ankle
M87.873Other osteonecrosis, unspecified ankle
M87.874Other osteonecrosis, right foot
M87.875Other osteonecrosis, left foot
M87.876Other osteonecrosis, unspecified foot

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for M87.871 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for M87.871 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for M87.871 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for M87.871 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for M87.871 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Specific documentation of right ankle involvement
Advanced imaging showing osteonecrosis (MRI preferred for early detection)
Exclusion of trauma, infection, and radiation as precipitating causes
Weight-bearing status and ambulatory limitations documented

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Specific documentation of right ankle involvement
Advanced imaging showing osteonecrosis (MRI preferred for early detection)
Exclusion of trauma, infection, and radiation as precipitating causes
Weight-bearing status and ambulatory limitations documented

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Using unspecified ankle codes when right side is clearly documented
Confusing osteoarthritis with osteonecrosis pathophysiology
Missing the chronic nature and coding as acute injury
Failing to identify and code predisposing risk factors

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
M87.371 — Drug-induced osteonecrosis requires specific medication causation
M87.171 — Post-traumatic osteonecrosis needs documented trauma history
M87.071 — Idiopathic osteonecrosis has no identifiable underlying cause
M19.071 — Primary osteoarthritis is degenerative, not avascular 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 M87.871 an HCC code?

Yes. M87.871 (Other osteonecrosis, right ankle) 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: M87.871 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
M87.871
Description
Other osteonecrosis, right ankle
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
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 M87.871 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for M87.871

For M87.871 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 M87.871 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

M87.871 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other osteonecrosis, right ankle. Death of bone tissue in the right ankle joint due to causes other than trauma or radiation. M87.871 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, M87.871 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, M87.871 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.

Ensure right ankle is clearly documented; ankle osteonecrosis may involve talus or other ankle bones. Because M87.871 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 M87.871 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Ensure right ankle is clearly documented; ankle osteonecrosis may involve talus or other ankle bones
  • Clarify which specific ankle bone is affected if documentation permits more specificity

Clinical Significance

Right ankle osteonecrosis represents avascular bone death in a critical weight-bearing joint, potentially leading to joint collapse and severe functional impairment. This condition requires aggressive management to preserve joint function and prevent the need for ankle replacement.

Documentation Requirements

  • Specific documentation of right ankle involvement
  • Advanced imaging showing osteonecrosis (MRI preferred for early detection)
  • Exclusion of trauma, infection, and radiation as precipitating causes
  • Weight-bearing status and ambulatory limitations documented
  • Pain level assessment using standardized scales
  • Evaluation for underlying predisposing conditions
  • Orthopedic consultation and treatment recommendations
  • Activity restriction protocols and compliance monitoring

Commonly Confused Codes

  • M87.371: Drug-induced osteonecrosis requires specific medication causation
  • M87.171: Post-traumatic osteonecrosis needs documented trauma history
  • M87.071: Idiopathic osteonecrosis has no identifiable underlying cause
  • M19.071: Primary osteoarthritis is degenerative, not avascular necrosis
  • S93.401A: Ankle sprain is acute injury, not chronic bone death

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because M87.871 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.

M87.871 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 M87.871 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 M87.871 in HCC Buddy

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