2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q68.3Congenital bowing of femur

ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q65-Q79›Q68

ICD-10-CM Q68.3
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

Q68.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital bowing of femur. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) 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

ICD-10-CM Code
Q68.3
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Congenital bowing of femur
Short Description
Congenital bowing of femur
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Q68
Other congenital musculoskeletal deformities

Code Classification

ChapterQ00-Q99Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
SectionQ65-Q79Congenital malformations and deformations of the musculoskeletal system
CategoryQ68Other congenital musculoskeletal deformities
This CodeQ68.3Congenital bowing of femur

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Q68.3 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review the other POA exempt codes in Congenital malformations and deformations of the musculoskeletal system (Q65-Q79).

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

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Q68.3: its own notes plus those printed at Q68 and Chapter 17. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

On Q68.3 itself
  • anteversion of femur (neck) (Q65.89)
From Q68 Other congenital musculoskeletal deformities applies to 8 codes
  • reduction defects of limb(s) (Q71-Q73)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Q68 Other congenital musculoskeletal deformities applies to 8 codes
  • congenital myotonic chondrodystrophy (G71.13)
From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • inborn errors of metabolism (E70-E88)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • Codes from this chapter are not for use on maternal records

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name Q68.3, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming Q68.3: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • M20 Acquired deformities of fingers and toes
    congenital deformities and malformations of fingers and toes (Q66.-, Q68-Q70, Q74.-) names Q68-Q70, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MAL008
Musculoskeletal congenital conditions
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

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.

ICD-9-CM
754.42 Congen bowing of femur
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About Q68.3Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for congenital bowing of femur?

The ICD-10-CM code for congenital bowing of femur is Q68.3 (sometimes written as Q683). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

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, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

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, 566, 565, with relative weights from 0.7374 to 1.4909 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. The code appears in the Congenital malformations and deformations of the musculoskeletal system (Q65-Q79) range of the CMS exempt list.

Can Q68.3 be reported with Q65.89?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on Q68.3 lists "anteversion of femur (neck) (Q65.89)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).