M20.0 vs M65.3

M20.0 (Deformity of finger(s)) compared with M65.3 (Trigger finger), from the official CMS tabular data. Do not report these codes together: the official tabular list marks them Excludes1.

Can these codes be reported together?

No — do not report together. M20.0 carries an Excludes1 note covering M65.3: “trigger finger (M65.3)”

Sole exception: when the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Side by side

	M20.0Deformity of finger(s)	M65.3Trigger finger
Billing status	Non-billable header Report instead: M20.001, M20.002, M20.009, M20.011, M20.012	Non-billable header Report instead: M65.30, M65.311, M65.312, M65.319, M65.321
Classification	M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)	M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)
Definition	Deformity of finger(s) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (M20.0).	Trigger finger is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (M65.3).
Includes	—	Nodular tendinous disease

Edit this comparison Check a whole claim

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