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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

M21.331Wrist drop, right wrist

✓ Billable / specific

M21.331 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for wrist drop, right wrist. It can be reported on claims for dates of service from October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About M21.331

M21.331 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for wrist drop, right wrist. It belongs to category M21 (other acquired deformities of limbs), block M20-M25 (other joint disorders) and chapter 13 (diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue). It is billable, so it can be reported on its own for dates of service from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Within M21.33 (wrist drop (acquired)), M21.331 is specifically for wrist drop, right wrist. Related codes cover left wrist (M21.332) and unspecified wrist (M21.339).

It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 073 (Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders with MCC, relative weight 1.5779) and DRG 074 (Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders without MCC, relative weight 1.0173), in MDC 01 (Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

Before ICD-10, this condition was coded in ICD-9-CM as 736.05 (wrist drop (acquired)).

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to M21.331.

› From M21 Other acquired deformities of limbs
Excludes1
  • acquired absence of limb (Z89.-)
  • congenital absence of limbs (Q71-Q73)
  • congenital deformities and malformations of limbs (Q65-Q66, Q68-Q74)
Excludes2
  • acquired deformities of fingers or toes (M20.-)
  • coxa plana (M91.2)

Broader instructions also apply from M20-M25 Other joint disorders and Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.

MS-DRG v44.0 grouping

All DRGs →

Inpatient MS-DRGs this diagnosis can group to, as the principal or a secondary diagnosis, depending on the rest of the claim.

ICD-9-CM equivalent

Converter →
  • 736.05Wrist drop (acquired)approximate

From the CMS 2018 General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs), the final GEMs release.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about M21.331

Is M21.331 billable?

Yes. M21.331 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

Can M21.331 be used as a principal diagnosis?

Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict M21.331 as a principal diagnosis.

Is M21.331 a CC or MCC?

No. M21.331 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.

What DRG does M21.331 group to?

M21.331 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 073 (Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders with MCC) and MS-DRG 074 (Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders without MCC). Which one applies depends on whether it is the principal diagnosis and on the rest of the claim.

What is the ICD-9 code for M21.331?

The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map M21.331 to ICD-9-CM 736.05.