ICD-10 Guide

Polyarthritis

ICD-10 Coding for Polyarthritis(M06.4, M13.0)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYRheumatology

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Polyarthritis?

Essential facts and insights about Polyarthritis

Key Clinical Considerations:

Symmetrical joint pain and swelling in multiple joints
Elevated inflammatory markers (e.g., ESR, CRP)
Joint effusion or tenderness on examination

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history of joint symptoms and duration
Details of physical examination findings
Results of laboratory and imaging studies

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Follow usage guidelines for specific ICD codes related to polyarthritis.
Common errors include misclassifying the type of arthritis or omitting key symptoms.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Osteoarthritis and other non-inflammatory joint diseases
Alternative codes for specific types of arthritis

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Rheumatology

Specialty Applications

Adults and children with joint disorders
Outpatient rheumatology clinics and inpatient settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

Include patient history, physical exam findings, and lab results.

What are the billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding based on documented diagnosis and treatment.

Polyarthritis

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

What are the billing considerations?

Polyarthritis

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the documentation requirements?

What are the billing considerations?