2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q68.3Congenital bowing of femur
ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q65-Q79›Q68
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- POA Exempt
- Chronic Condition
Q68.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital bowing of femur. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 564 through 566. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as congenital bowing of bilateral femurs. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Musculoskeletal congenital conditions.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
Q68.3 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Congenital bowing of bilateral femurs
- Congenital bowing of femur
- Congenital bowing of left femur
- Congenital bowing of right femur
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
- anteversion of femur neck Q65.89
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Bowing
- femur - See Also: Deformity, limb, specified type NEC, thigh;
- congenital - Q68.3
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Bowing
- femur
- congenital
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Birth Defects
A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother's body. Most birth defects happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.
The full article covers:
- What are birth defects?
- What causes birth defects?
- Who is at risk of having a baby with birth defects?
- How are birth defects diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for birth defects?
- Can birth defects be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert Q68.3 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About Q68.3Overview
Is Q68.3 (Other congenital musculoskeletal deformities) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report congenital bowing of femur on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does Q68.3 group to?
When congenital bowing of femur is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 564, 565, 566, with relative weights from 0.7493 to 1.5436 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is Q68.3 exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for congenital bowing of femur on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Q68.3?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, congenital bowing of femur converts to ICD-9-CM 754.42 (congen bowing of femur). The mapping is a direct match.
Footnotes
[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:
- The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
- The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.
