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M40.202 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified kyphosis, cervical region

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
3 Excludes1 · 1 code-first instruction

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 551 — MEDICAL BACK PROBLEMS WITH MCC (MDC 08)
  • MS-DRG 552 — MEDICAL BACK PROBLEMS WITHOUT MCC (MDC 08)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for M40.202 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Notes without a marker are published on M40.202 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Excludes1 — Not Coded Here

Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Source: inherited from M40

Code First

Underlying conditions that must be sequenced before this code.

  • underlying disease

Source: inherited from M40

Coder workflow for M40.202

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code M40.202

  1. Unspecified does not mean incorrect. When the record gives no greater specificity, M40.202 may be the appropriate code. Check the record for detail that supports a more specific sibling. An unspecified code is for records that do not provide the detail a more specific code needs; a query, not an assumption, is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

    See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

  2. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with M40.202. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

    See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

  1. Does the record document the detail a more specific sibling code needs?
    Yes → Review the specific siblings in this subcategory.
    No → Continue — M40.202 is appropriate when the documentation goes no further.
  2. Does the documentation support a condition named in M40.202’s Excludes1 note?
    Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
    No → Continue.

    ReviewQ76.4, M41, M96

  3. Is the underlying (etiologic) condition the Code First note names documented?
    Yes → Sequence the underlying condition first, then M40.202.
    No → Continue; do not add an underlying condition the record does not document.

Consider M40.202. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
The underlying (etiologic) condition
Named in the Code First note; sequenced before this code when documented (Guidelines I.A.13).
Any detail beyond this code’s title
What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting M40.202(3 notes)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with M40.202: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareQ76.4, M41, M96

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

  • Code First — sequencing check(1 note)

    Coding workflow: Check whether the underlying or etiologic condition the note names is documented. When it is, sequence it before M40.202. Do not add an underlying condition the record does not document.

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: The provider documents the condition in the terms of this code’s title and records no further detail.

Coding question: Is a more specific sibling code supportable?

Path: Review the subcategory for a sibling that names the missing detail.

Reason: A more specific code needs documentation of the distinguishing element; without it the unspecified code is appropriate, and a provider query is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

Documentation: Both the condition M40.202 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.

Coding question: Can both codes be reported?

Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.

Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

ReviewQ76.4, M41, M96

Documentation: The underlying condition the Code First note names is documented alongside this condition.

Coding question: How are the two sequenced?

Path: Review the Code First note.

Reason: The underlying condition is sequenced first and the manifestation follows (Guidelines I.A.13).

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Code Overview

Unspecified kyphosis, cervical region is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M40.202).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Indexed Clinical Terms (1)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Verify Before Coding

  • No Medicare Code Editor or MS-DRG Definitions Manual restrictions apply to this code.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name M40.202 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 9 Excludes2 notes: M20 — Acquired deformities of fingers and toes (via M40.-), M20-M25 — Other joint disorders (M20-M25) (via M40.-), M21 — Other acquired deformities of limbs (via M40.-), M22 — Disorder of patella (via M40.-), M23 — Internal derangement of knee (via M40.-), M24 — Other specific joint derangements (via M40.-), M25 — Other joint disorder, not elsewhere classified (via M40.-), M43.8 — Other specified deforming dorsopathies (via M40.-), M95 — Other acquired deformities of musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (via M40.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: not on the CMS CC/MCC list — as a secondary diagnosis this code does not change MS-DRG severity for that release.

Named in the grouper logic of 2 MS-DRGs: DRG 551 (MDC 08), DRG 552 (MDC 08).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):MUS022 — Scoliosis and other postural dorsopathic deformities (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Scoliosis and other postural dorsopathic deformities).

M40.00 — Postural kyphosis, site unspecified, M40.03 — Postural kyphosis, cervicothoracic region, M40.04 — Postural kyphosis, thoracic region, M40.05 — Postural kyphosis, thoracolumbar region, M40.10 — Other secondary kyphosis, site unspecified, M40.12 — Other secondary kyphosis, cervical region, M40.13 — Other secondary kyphosis, cervicothoracic region, M40.14 — Other secondary kyphosis, thoracic region, M40.15 — Other secondary kyphosis, thoracolumbar region, M40.203 — Unspecified kyphosis, cervicothoracic region, M40.204 — Unspecified kyphosis, thoracic region, M40.205 — Unspecified kyphosis, thoracolumbar region, M40.209 — Unspecified kyphosis, site unspecified, M40.292 — Other kyphosis, cervical region, M40.293 — Other kyphosis, cervicothoracic region, M40.294 — Other kyphosis, thoracic region, M40.295 — Other kyphosis, thoracolumbar region, M40.299 — Other kyphosis, site unspecified, M40.30 — Flatback syndrome, site unspecified, M40.35 — Flatback syndrome, thoracolumbar region, +90 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Kyphosis, kyphotic”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

A18.01 — Tuberculosis of spine (tuberculous), A50.56 — Late congenital syphilitic osteochondropathy (syphilitic, congenital), E64.3 — Sequelae of rickets (sequelae of rickets), E76.219 — Morquio mucopolysaccharidoses, unspecified (Morquio-Brailsford type), M96.2 — Postradiation kyphosis (postradiation therapy), M96.3 — Postlaminectomy kyphosis (postlaminectomy), Q76.411 — Congenital kyphosis, occipito-atlanto-axial region (congenital, occipito-atlanto-axial region), Q76.412 — Congenital kyphosis, cervical region (congenital, cervical region), Q76.413 — Congenital kyphosis, cervicothoracic region (congenital, cervicothoracic region), Q76.414 — Congenital kyphosis, thoracic region (congenital, thoracic region), Q76.415 — Congenital kyphosis, thoracolumbar region (congenital, thoracolumbar region), Q76.419 — Congenital kyphosis, unspecified region (congenital)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of M40.202 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run M40.202 with these 8 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes2 notes (9)

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 08 — Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 18,508 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Index entries

  • Kyphosis, kyphotic (acquired), cervical region[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes (39)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "M40.202 — Unspecified kyphosis, cervical region." ICD-10-CM FY2026. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/m40.202-unspecified-kyphosis-cervical-region

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Unspecified kyphosis, cervical region

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to M40.202 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the M40 family