ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code
M50.021Cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level with myelopathy
M50.021 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for cervical disc disorder at c4-c5 level with myelopathy. It can be reported on claims for dates of service from October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027.
Code last changed in FY2017 (effective October 1, 2016). Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data
About M50.021
M50.021 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level with myelopathy. It belongs to category M50 (cervical disc disorders), block M50-M54 (other dorsopathies) 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 M50.02 (cervical disc disorder with myelopathy, mid-cervical region), M50.021 is specifically for cervical disc disorder at C4-C5 level with myelopathy. Related codes cover unspecified level (M50.020), at C5-C6 level with myelopathy (M50.022) and at C6-C7 level with myelopathy (M50.023).
As a secondary diagnosis it is a CC (complication or comorbidity), which can move an inpatient stay into the "with CC" MS-DRG of its family, unless the principal diagnosis excludes it.
In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 551 (Medical Back Problems with MCC, relative weight 1.6358) and DRG 552 (Medical Back Problems without MCC, relative weight 0.9584), in MDC 08 (Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue), 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 was added in FY2017, effective October 1, 2016.
Before ICD-10, this condition was coded in ICD-9-CM as 722.71 (intervertebral disc disorder with myelopathy, cervical region).
Coding notes
- C4-C5 disc disorder with myelopathy
Notes that apply from higher levels
Instructions written at a parent level also apply to M50.021.
› From M50 Cervical disc disorders
- cervicothoracic disc disorders with cervicalgia
- cervicothoracic disc disorders
Broader instructions also apply from M50-M54 Other dorsopathies and Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.
Alphabetic index entries
1 entriesTerms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to M50.021.
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.
MDC 08 · Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue
ICD-9-CM equivalent
Converter →- 722.71Intervertebral disc disorder with myelopathy, cervical regionapproximate
From the CMS 2018 General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs), the final GEMs release.
Code history
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
- 2027
- FY2017 (effective 10/1/2016): Added
- No changes since FY2017.
Common questions about M50.021
Is M50.021 billable?
- Yes. M50.021 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).
Can M50.021 be used as a principal diagnosis?
- Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict M50.021 as a principal diagnosis.
Is M50.021 a CC or MCC?
- M50.021 is a CC (complication or comorbidity) under MS-DRG v44.0, unless excluded by the principal diagnosis.
What DRG does M50.021 group to?
- M50.021 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 551 (Medical Back Problems with MCC) and MS-DRG 552 (Medical Back Problems 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 M50.021?
- The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map M50.021 to ICD-9-CM 722.71.