M79.646 — Pain in unspecified finger(s)
Is M79.646 billable?
Yes, but M79.646 is an unspecified code. M79.646 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, M79.646 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 M79.646 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
M79.646 at a glance
| Code | M79.646 |
|---|---|
| Description | Pain in unspecified finger(s) |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does M79.646 group to?
M79.646 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 M79.646 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under M79.64, the nearest indexed parent of M79.646. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Pain › limb › upper › finger (s)
- Pain › limb › upper › hand (s)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M79
The conditions below can never be reported together with M79.646 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 M79.646, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M79.646 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 M79.6
The conditions below are not part of M79.646, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M79.646 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- pain in joint (M25.5-)
How long has M79.646 existed?
M79.646 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.