M23.0 — Cystic meniscus
Is M23.0 billable?
No — M23.0 is a non-billable header code. M23.0 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 27 billable codes beneath M23.0.
Billable codes under this header
- M23.000Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, right knee
- M23.001Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, left knee
- M23.002Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.003Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus, right knee
- M23.004Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus, left knee
- M23.005Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.006Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, right knee
- M23.007Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, left knee
- M23.009Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.011Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of medial meniscus, right knee
- M23.012Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of medial meniscus, left knee
- M23.019Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of medial meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.021Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of medial meniscus, right knee
- M23.022Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of medial meniscus, left knee
- M23.029Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of medial meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.031Cystic meniscus, other medial meniscus, right knee
- M23.032Cystic meniscus, other medial meniscus, left knee
- M23.039Cystic meniscus, other medial meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.041Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of lateral meniscus, right knee
- M23.042Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of lateral meniscus, left knee
- M23.049Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of lateral meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.051Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of lateral meniscus, right knee
- M23.052Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of lateral meniscus, left knee
- M23.059Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of lateral meniscus, unspecified knee
- M23.061Cystic meniscus, other lateral meniscus, right knee
- M23.062Cystic meniscus, other lateral meniscus, left knee
- M23.069Cystic meniscus, other lateral meniscus, unspecified knee
M23.0 at a glance
| Code | M23.0 |
|---|---|
| Description | Cystic meniscus |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
How is M23.0 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to M23.0. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Derangement › knee › meniscus › cystic
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M23
The conditions below can never be reported together with M23.0 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 13
The conditions below are not part of M23.0, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.0 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)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from M20-M25
The conditions below are not part of M23.0, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.0 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- joints of the spine (M40-M54)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from M23
The conditions below are not part of M23.0, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.0 and the excluded code may both be reported.
What codes fall under M23.0? (7)
- M23.00Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscusnot billable
- M23.01Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of medial meniscusnot billable
- M23.02Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of medial meniscusnot billable
- M23.03Cystic meniscus, other medial meniscusnot billable
- M23.04Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of lateral meniscusnot billable
- M23.05Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of lateral meniscusnot billable
- M23.06Cystic meniscus, other lateral meniscusnot billable
How long has M23.0 existed?
M23.0 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.
What other codes are in the M23 family? (7)
- M23.2Derangement of meniscus due to old tear or injurynot billable
- M23.3Other meniscus derangementsnot billable
- M23.4Loose body in kneenot billable
- M23.5Chronic instability of kneenot billable
- M23.6Other spontaneous disruption of ligament(s) of kneenot billable
- M23.8Other internal derangements of kneenot billable
- M23.9Unspecified internal derangement of kneenot billable