M20.029 vs R68.3
M20.029 (Boutonnière deformity of unspecified finger(s)) compared with R68.3 (Clubbing of fingers), 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. M20.029 carries an Excludes1 note covering R68.3: “clubbing of fingers (R68.3)”
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
| M20.029Boutonnière deformity of unspecified finger(s) | R68.3Clubbing of fingers | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99) | R00-R99 — Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) |
| Definition | Boutonnière deformity of unspecified finger(s) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M20.029). | Clubbing of fingers is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (R68.3). |
| Includes | — | Clubbing of nails |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources