2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M84.473APathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture

ICD-10-CM Codes›M00–M99›M80-M85›M84

ICD-10-CM M84.473A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

M84.473A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 542 through 544. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. Coders also document this condition as pathological fracture - ankle and/or foot. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pathological fracture, initial encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
M84.473A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture
Short Description
Pathological fracture, unsp ankle, init encntr for fracture
Parent Code
M84.473
Pathological fracture, unspecified ankle

Code Classification

ChapterM00–M99Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
SectionM80-M85Disorders of bone density and structure
CategoryM84Disorder of continuity of bone
This CodeM84.473APathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for M84.473A.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Pathological fracture - ankle and/or foot
  • Pathological fracture of ankle

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MUS014
Pathological fracture, initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Ankle Injuries and Disorders

Your ankle bone and the ends of your two lower leg bones make up the ankle joint. Your ligaments, which connect bones to one another, stabilize and support it. Your muscles and tendons move it.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert M84.473A to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
733.16 Path fx tibia fibula
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

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 M84.473AOverview

Is M84.473A (Pathological fracture, unspecified ankle) a billable code?

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

What does the 7th character A in M84.473A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for pathological fracture, unspecified ankle, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does M84.473A group to?

When pathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 542, 543, 544, with relative weights from 0.7546 to 1.7665 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M84.473A?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, pathological fracture, unspecified ankle, initial encounter for fracture converts to ICD-9-CM 733.16 (path fx tibia fibula). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

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.