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M08.261 vs M08.262

M08.261 (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, right knee) compared with M08.262 (Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left knee), from the official CMS tabular data. M08.261 and M08.262 code the same condition on opposite sides.

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

M08.261
Right
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, right knee
M08.262
Left
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left knee

Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.

These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

Same condition, opposite side. M08.261 and M08.262 name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.

Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Side by side

M08.261Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, right kneeM08.262Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left knee
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationM00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)
DefinitionJuvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, right knee is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M08.261).Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis with systemic onset, left knee is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M08.262).

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources