Excludes1 pair
M60- vs M79.5
M60 and M79.5 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.
The official note, declared on M79.5
foreign body granuloma of soft tissue (M60.2-)
M60
Myositis
Not billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M60-M63
M79.5
Residual foreign body in soft tissue
Billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M70-M79
Indexed under
- Foreign body › in › soft tissue (residual)
- Foreign body › old or residual › soft tissue (residual)
- Foreign body › retained › soft tissue
Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027