M25.649 — Stiffness of unspecified hand, not elsewhere classified
Is M25.649 billable?
Yes, but M25.649 is an unspecified code. M25.649 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, M25.649 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 M25.649 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
M25.649 at a glance
| Code | M25.649 |
|---|---|
| Description | Stiffness of unspecified hand, not elsewhere classified |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does M25.649 group to?
M25.649 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.
- 555Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue with MCCmedical
- 556Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue without MCCmedical
How is M25.649 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under M25.64, the nearest indexed parent of M25.649. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Stiffness, joint NEC › hand
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M25.6
The conditions below can never be reported together with M25.649 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 M25.649, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M25.649 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 M25.649, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M25.649 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- joints of the spine (M40-M54)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from M25
The conditions below are not part of M25.649, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M25.649 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has M25.649 existed?
M25.649 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.