2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M79.0Rheumatism, unspecified

ICD-10-CM CodesM00–M99M70-M79M79

ICD-10-CM M79.0
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

M79.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for rheumatism, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 555 through 556. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified connective tissue disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
M79.0
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Rheumatism, unspecified
Short Description
Rheumatism, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Other and unspecified soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterM00–M99Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
SectionM70-M79Other soft tissue disorders
CategoryM79Other and unspecified soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified
This CodeM79.0Rheumatism, unspecified

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Fibroblastic rheumatism
  • Hand rheumatism
  • Psychosomatic rheumatism
  • Rheumatism
  • Rheumatism, excluding the back
  • Rheumatology disorder monitoring status
  • Rheumatology disorder treatment changed
  • Rheumatology disorder treatment started
  • Rheumatology symptom change
  • Secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • Secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia co-occurrent and due to rheumatic disorder

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Type 1 Excludes

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Rheumatism(articular) (neuralgic) (nonarticular)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR MUS025
Other specified connective tissue disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Connective Tissue Disorders

Your connective tissue supports many different parts of your body, such as your skin, eyes, and heart. It is like a "cellular glue" that gives your body parts their shape and helps keep them strong. It also helps some of your tissues do their work. It is made of many kinds of proteins. Cartilage and fat are types of connective tissue.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert M79.0 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
729.0 Rheumatism NOS
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About M79.0Overview

Is M79.0 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report rheumatism, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does M79.0 group to?

When rheumatism, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 555, 556, with relative weights from 0.8306 to 1.3218 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M79.0?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, rheumatism, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 729.0 (rheumatism NOS). The mapping is a direct match.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.