ICDcodes.org
FY2027

M23.002 — Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, unspecified knee

BillableUnspecified

Is M23.002 billable?

Yes, but M23.002 is an unspecified code. M23.002 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, M23.002 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 M23.002 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.

M23.002 at a glance

CodeM23.002
DescriptionCystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, unspecified knee
BillableYes
Code setICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encountersOctober 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

Which MS-DRGs does M23.002 group to?

M23.002 sits in MDC 08 and helps define the logic of 2 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.

  • 562Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation Except Femur, Hip, Pelvis and Thigh with MCCmedical
  • 563Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation Except Femur, Hip, Pelvis and Thigh without MCCmedical

How is M23.002 listed in the Alphabetic Index?

These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to M23.002. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.

  • Derangement › knee › meniscus › cystic › lateral

Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M23

The conditions below can never be reported together with M23.002 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 M23.002, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.002 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 M23.002, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.002 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 M23.002, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M23.002 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • current injury - see injury of knee and lower leg (S80-S89)
  • recurrent dislocation or subluxation of joints (M24.4)
  • recurrent dislocation or subluxation of patella (M22.0-M22.1)

How long has M23.002 existed?

M23.002 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 M23.00 family? (8)