Excludes1 pair
M65.2- vs M77-
M65.2 and M77 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 M65.2
tendinitis as classified in M75-M77
M65.2
Calcific tendinitis
Not billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M65-M67
Indexed under
- Tendinitis, tendonitis › calcific
M77
Other enthesopathies
Not billable
- Chapter 13
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
- Section
- M70-M79
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