M46.55 — Other infective spondylopathies, thoracolumbar region
Is M46.55 billable?
Yes — M46.55 is billable for FY2027. M46.55 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code at the highest level of specificity in its branch. M46.55 may be submitted for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
M46.55 at a glance
| Code | M46.55 |
|---|---|
| Description | Other infective spondylopathies, thoracolumbar region |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does M46.55 group to?
M46.55 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.
- 456Spinal Fusion Except Cervical with Spinal Curvature, Malignancy, or Infection with MCCsurgical
- 457Spinal Fusion Except Cervical with Spinal Curvature, Malignancy, or Infection with CCsurgical
- 458Spinal Fusion Except Cervical with Spinal Curvature, Malignancy, or Infection without CC/MCCsurgical
How is M46.55 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to M46.55. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Spondylopathy › infective NEC › thoracolumbar region
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 13
The conditions below are not part of M46.55, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M46.55 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)
How long has M46.55 existed?
M46.55 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.
Which conditions are coded to M46.55?
What other codes are in the M46.5 family? (9)
- M46.50Other infective spondylopathies, site unspecified
- M46.51Other infective spondylopathies, occipito-atlanto-axial region
- M46.52Other infective spondylopathies, cervical region
- M46.53Other infective spondylopathies, cervicothoracic region
- M46.54Other infective spondylopathies, thoracic region
- M46.56Other infective spondylopathies, lumbar region
- M46.57Other infective spondylopathies, lumbosacral region
- M46.58Other infective spondylopathies, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
- M46.59Other infective spondylopathies, multiple sites in spine