DxCodebookFY2027 · Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

Category · FY2027

M48 Other spondylopathies

  • Header · not billable
  • Some codes take a 7th character

M48 is not billable. The category heads 119 billable codes in FY2027, grouped under 8 subdivisions.

Index → code

Where it sits

  1. Chapter 13 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
  2. M45-M49 Spondylopathies (M45-M49)
  3. M48 Other spondylopathies
Billable codes
119
Subdivisions
8
CC / MCC codes
18 / 0
HCC V28 codes
18
New FY2027
0
Index entries
68

Codes in M48

  1. M48.0
    Spinal stenosis
    Header
    Inclusion terms 1

    Inclusion terms

    • Caudal stenosis
  2. M48.00
    Spinal stenosis, site unspecified
    Billable
  3. M48.01
    Spinal stenosis, occipito-atlanto-axial region
    Billable
  4. M48.02
    Spinal stenosis, cervical region
    Billable
  5. M48.03
    Spinal stenosis, cervicothoracic region
    Billable
  6. M48.04
    Spinal stenosis, thoracic region
    Billable
  7. M48.05
    Spinal stenosis, thoracolumbar region
    Billable
  8. M48.06
    Spinal stenosis, lumbar region
    Header
  9. M48.061
    Spinal stenosis, lumbar region without neurogenic claudication
    Billable
    Inclusion terms 1

    Inclusion terms

    • Spinal stenosis, lumbar region NOS
  10. M48.062
    Spinal stenosis, lumbar region with neurogenic claudication
    Billable
  11. M48.07
    Spinal stenosis, lumbosacral region
    Billable
  12. M48.08
    Spinal stenosis, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
    Billable
  13. M48.1
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier]
    Header
    Inclusion terms 1

    Inclusion terms

    • Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis [DISH]
  14. M48.10
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], site unspecified
    Billable
  15. M48.11
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], occipito-atlanto-axial region
    Billable
  16. M48.12
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], cervical region
    Billable
  17. M48.13
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], cervicothoracic region
    Billable
  18. M48.14
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], thoracic region
    Billable
  19. M48.15
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], thoracolumbar region
    Billable
  20. M48.16
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], lumbar region
    Billable
  21. M48.17
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], lumbosacral region
    Billable
  22. M48.18
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], sacral and sacrococcygeal region
    Billable
  23. M48.19
    Ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier], multiple sites in spine
    Billable
  24. M48.2
    Kissing spine
    Header
  25. M48.20
    Kissing spine, site unspecified
    Billable
  26. M48.21
    Kissing spine, occipito-atlanto-axial region
    Billable
  27. M48.22
    Kissing spine, cervical region
    Billable
  28. M48.23
    Kissing spine, cervicothoracic region
    Billable
  29. M48.24
    Kissing spine, thoracic region
    Billable
  30. M48.25
    Kissing spine, thoracolumbar region
    Billable
  31. M48.26
    Kissing spine, lumbar region
    Billable
  32. M48.27
    Kissing spine, lumbosacral region
    Billable
  33. M48.3
    Traumatic spondylopathy
    Header
  34. M48.30
    Traumatic spondylopathy, site unspecified
    BillableCC
  35. M48.31
    Traumatic spondylopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region
    BillableCC
  36. M48.32
    Traumatic spondylopathy, cervical region
    BillableCC
  37. M48.33
    Traumatic spondylopathy, cervicothoracic region
    BillableCC
  38. M48.34
    Traumatic spondylopathy, thoracic region
    BillableCC
  39. M48.35
    Traumatic spondylopathy, thoracolumbar region
    BillableCC
  40. M48.36
    Traumatic spondylopathy, lumbar region
    BillableCC
  41. M48.37
    Traumatic spondylopathy, lumbosacral region
    BillableCC
  42. M48.38
    Traumatic spondylopathy, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
    BillableCC
  43. M48.4
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra
    Header
    Inclusion terms 1, Excludes1 5

    Inclusion terms

    • Stress fracture of vertebra

    Excludes1

    • pathological fracture NOS (M84.4-) M84.4
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to neoplasm (M84.58) M84.58
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to other diagnosis (M84.68) M84.68
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-) M80
    • traumatic fracture of vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-, S22.0-, S32.0-) S12.0 S12.3 S22.0 S32.0
  44. M48.40
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, site unspecified +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  45. M48.41
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, occipito-atlanto-axial region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  46. M48.42
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervical region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  47. M48.43
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervicothoracic region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  48. M48.44
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracic region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  49. M48.45
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracolumbar region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  50. M48.46
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, lumbar region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  51. M48.47
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, lumbosacral region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  52. M48.48
    Fatigue fracture of vertebra, sacral and sacrococcygeal region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th character
  53. M48.5
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified
    Header
    Inclusion terms 3, Excludes1 8

    Inclusion terms

    • Collapsed vertebra NOS
    • Compression fracture of vertebra NOS
    • Wedging of vertebra NOS

    Excludes1

    • current injury - see Injury of spine, by body region
    • fatigue fracture of vertebra (M48.4) M48.4
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to neoplasm (M84.58) M84.58
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to other diagnosis (M84.68) M84.68
    • pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-) M80
    • pathological fracture NOS (M84.4-) M84.4
    • stress fracture of vertebra (M48.4-) M48.4
    • traumatic fracture of vertebra (S12.-, S22.-, S32.-) S12 S22 S32
  54. M48.50
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, site unspecified +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  55. M48.51
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, occipito-atlanto-axial region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  56. M48.52
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, cervical region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  57. M48.53
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, cervicothoracic region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  58. M48.54
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, thoracic region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  59. M48.55
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, thoracolumbar region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  60. M48.56
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, lumbar region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  61. M48.57
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, lumbosacral region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  62. M48.58
    Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified, sacral and sacrococcygeal region +7th: A D G S
    Needs 7th characterCC A401 (some 7th characters)
  63. M48.8
    Other specified spondylopathies
    Header
    Inclusion terms 1

    Inclusion terms

    • Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament
  64. M48.8X
    Other specified spondylopathies
    Header
  65. M48.8X1
    Other specified spondylopathies, occipito-atlanto-axial region
    Billable93
  66. M48.8X2
    Other specified spondylopathies, cervical region
    Billable93
  67. M48.8X3
    Other specified spondylopathies, cervicothoracic region
    Billable93
  68. M48.8X4
    Other specified spondylopathies, thoracic region
    Billable93
  69. M48.8X5
    Other specified spondylopathies, thoracolumbar region
    Billable93
  70. M48.8X6
    Other specified spondylopathies, lumbar region
    Billable93
  71. M48.8X7
    Other specified spondylopathies, lumbosacral region
    Billable93
  72. M48.8X8
    Other specified spondylopathies, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
    Billable93
  73. M48.8X9
    Other specified spondylopathies, site unspecified
    Billable93
  74. M48.9
    Spondylopathy, unspecified
    Billable

CC/MCC: as a secondary diagnosis, unless the principal diagnosis is on the code’s PDX exclusion list (MS-DRG v44 Appendix C; list on the code card).

Sources of each column. Rows marked +7th need a 7th character: pick one to build the full code; its code card has its own flags.

Instructions

Notes that also apply

Chapter 13 instructions (Notes 1, Excludes2 10): printed on the chapter 13 page.

7th characters

7th characters for M48.4 defined at M48.4

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M48.4:

7th characters for M48.4
7thMeaning (NCHS)
Ainitial encounter for fracture
Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
Ssequela of fracture

7th characters for M48.5 defined at M48.5

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M48.5:

7th characters for M48.5
7thMeaning (NCHS)
Ainitial encounter for fracture
Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
Ssequela of fracture

A code that takes a 7th character is invalid without it; the placeholder X fills a code shorter than 6 characters (Official Guidelines I.A.5). How 7th characters work.

Index entries

  • Kissing spine → M48.20
  • Spondylopathy → M48.9
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinal → M48.00
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)caudal → M48.08
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine) → M48.10
  • Kissing spineoccipito-atlanto-axial region → M48.21
  • Kissing spinecervical region → M48.22
  • Kissing spinecervicothoracic region → M48.23
  • Kissing spinethoracic region → M48.24
  • Kissing spinethoracolumbar region → M48.25
  • Kissing spinelumbar region → M48.26
  • Kissing spinelumbosacral region → M48.27
  • Spondylopathytraumatic → M48.30
  • Collapsevertebra → M48.50-
  • Fracture, pathological (pathologic)compression (not due to trauma) → M48.50-
  • Spondylopathyspecified NEC → M48.8
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinaloccipito-atlanto-axial region → M48.01
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinalcervical region → M48.02
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinalcervicothoracic region → M48.03
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinalthoracic region → M48.04
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinalthoracolumbar region → M48.05
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinallumbar region (NOS) (without neurogenic claudication) → M48.061
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinallumbosacral region → M48.07
  • Stenosis, stenotic (cicatricial)spinalsacrococcygeal region → M48.08
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)occipito-atlanto-axial region → M48.11
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)cervical region → M48.12
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)cervicothoracic region → M48.13
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)thoracic region → M48.14
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)thoracolumbar region → M48.15
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)lumbar region → M48.16
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)lumbosacral region → M48.17
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)sacrococcygeal region → M48.18
  • Hyperostosis (monomelic)ankylosing (spine)multiple sites → M48.19
  • Spondylopathytraumaticoccipito-atlanto-axial region → M48.31
  • Spondylopathytraumaticcervical region → M48.32
  • Spondylopathytraumaticcervicothoracic region → M48.33
  • Spondylopathytraumaticthoracic region → M48.34
  • Spondylopathytraumaticthoracolumbar region → M48.35
  • Spondylopathytraumaticlumbar region → M48.36
  • Spondylopathytraumaticlumbosacral region → M48.37

28 more, longer entries are not listed; the search box finds them by word.

NCHS Alphabetic Index. Index first, then the Tabular List.

Hierarchy