M54.9: Dorsalgia, unspecified
Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2027
What ICD-10-CM says
Includes
- Backache NOS
- Back pain NOS
Notes at M54, Dorsalgia (they apply to every code under it)
Excludes1 (never coded with M54.9)
- psychogenic dorsalgia (F45.41)
What M54.9 covers
M54.9 is for back pain when the record does not say which part of the back. It includes backache NOS and back pain NOS.
It turns up in primary care and urgent care when the note is brief. Most back pain has a documented region, and M54 has codes for each: cervicalgia (M54.2), thoracic spine pain (M54.6) and low back pain (M54.5-). Sciatica and radiculopathy have their own subcategories.
Billing and coding notes
M54.9 is billable but unspecified. If the note says neck, mid back or low back, use the region code. The excludes2 note at G89 also sends back pain of unspecified type here, coded by site.
The M54 category has an excludes1 for psychogenic dorsalgia (F45.41). Back pain that is part of a confirmed diagnosis, such as a disc disorder or a fracture, is coded to that diagnosis.
Related codes under M54
Questions about M54.9
Is M54.9 billable?
Yes, but it is unspecified. Use M54.2, M54.6 or M54.5- when the documentation names the region.
What is the difference between M54.9 and M54.50?
M54.9 is back pain with no region documented. M54.50 is low back pain, unspecified, for when the note places the pain in the low back.
ICD-10-CM in CloudMedico
In CloudMedico, a visit's diagnoses come from the current ICD-10-CM list. For US practices, the visit flags a code that isn't billable on its date, and a superbill made from an invoice carries the visit's diagnoses.
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