M08.971 — Juvenile arthritis, unspecified, right ankle and foot
Is M08.971 billable?
Yes, but M08.971 is an unspecified code. M08.971 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, M08.971 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting M08.971 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
M08.971 at a glance
| Code | M08.971 |
|---|---|
| Description | Juvenile arthritis, unspecified, right ankle and foot |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does M08.971 group to?
M08.971 sits in MDC 08 and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 545Connective Tissue Disorders with MCCmedical
- 546Connective Tissue Disorders with CCmedical
- 547Connective Tissue Disorders without CC/MCCmedical
How is M08.971 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under M08.97, the nearest indexed parent of M08.971. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Arthritis, arthritic › juvenile › ankle (acute) (chronic) (nonpyogenic) (subacute)
- Arthritis, arthritic › juvenile › foot joint (acute) (chronic) (nonpyogenic) (subacute)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M08
The conditions below can never be reported together with M08.971 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M08.9
The conditions below can never be reported together with M08.971 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, unspecified (M08.0-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 13
The conditions below are not part of M08.971, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M08.971 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Code also — inherited from M08
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether M08.971 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.
How long has M08.971 existed?
M08.971 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.