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M48.51XG vs M80

M48.51XG (Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, occipito-atlanto-axial region, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing) compared with M80 (Osteoporosis with current pathological fracture), 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. M48.51XG carries an Excludes1 note covering M80: “pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-)”

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

No — do not report together. M80 carries an Excludes1 note covering M48.51XG: “collapsed vertebra NOS (M48.5)”

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

No — do not report together. M80 carries an Excludes1 note covering M48.51XG: “wedging of vertebra NOS (M48.5)”

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

M48.51XGCollapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, occipito-atlanto-axial region, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healingM80Osteoporosis with current pathological fracture
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: M80.00XA, M80.00XD, M80.00XG, M80.00XK, M80.00XP

ClassificationM00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)
DefinitionCollapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, occipito-atlanto-axial region, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M48.51G).Osteoporosis with current pathological fracture is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (M80).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M48.5:The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category M80:
Includes
osteoporosis with current fragility fracture
Use additional code
code to identify major osseous defect, if applicable (M89.7-)

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