Disc displacement at the C7-T1 cervical-thoracic junction that does not involve myelopathy or radiculopathy — classified under 'other' cervical disc displacement for the cervicothoracic region.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓
- Status
- Billable
- Chapter
- 13
- Related CPT
- 7
- Region
- Spine
Documentation tips
What should appear in the chart to support M50.23.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓
- Specify the disc level as C7-T1 in the clinical note — this is the only level mapped to M50.23 per the Applicable To annotation.
- Distinguish displacement from degeneration: if the MRI or CT report describes disc herniation, protrusion, or bulge at C7-T1 without radiculopathy or myelopathy, M50.23 applies; pure degenerative change without displacement belongs to M50.33.
- Record whether myelopathy or radiculopathy is present — if either is documented, escalate to M50.03 (myelopathy) or M50.13 (radiculopathy) rather than M50.23.
- Include imaging findings that confirm displacement: disc herniation type (central, paracentral, foraminal), degree of canal or foraminal compromise, and any endplate changes at C7-T1.
- Document conservative care history (physical therapy, NSAIDs, injections) and duration of symptoms when supporting medical necessity for advanced imaging or surgical evaluation.
Related CPT procedures
Procedure codes commonly billed with M50.23. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.
Source · CMS LCDs · AAOS specialty guidance · claims-pattern analysis
Common coding pitfalls
The recurring mistakes coders make with M50.23 and adjacent codes.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓
- Coding M50.23 when radiculopathy is documented: if the provider notes arm pain, paresthesias, or weakness with a dermatomal pattern, the correct code is M50.13, not M50.23.
- Confusing displacement with degeneration: disc degeneration at C7-T1 without herniation or displacement maps to M50.33 — do not use M50.23 for degenerative disc disease alone.
- Pairing M50.23 with a cervicalgia code (M54.2) after the disc displacement is confirmed — symptom codes are dropped once a definitive structural diagnosis is established.
- Using a mid-cervical displacement code (M50.221–M50.223) when the imaging report clearly identifies C7-T1 as the involved level — level-specific accuracy is auditable.
Clinical context
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓
M50.23 captures disc displacement at the C7-T1 level (cervicothoracic junction) when the clinical picture does not meet criteria for myelopathy (M50.03) or radiculopathy (M50.13). Use it when imaging confirms disc displacement at C7-T1 and the provider documents axial neck pain, referred upper-extremity symptoms, or functional limitation without documented cord compression or dermatomal nerve root deficit.
The cervicothoracic junction is a biomechanically distinct transition zone — disc pathology here can produce a mixed picture of cervical and upper thoracic symptoms. If the operative or imaging report specifies C7-T1 and the clinical note documents displacement (not simple degeneration), M50.23 is the correct code. For degeneration without displacement at the same level, use M50.33. For displacement at mid-cervical levels (C4-C5, C5-C6, C6-C7), use M50.221, M50.222, or M50.223 respectively.
M50.23 maps to MS-DRG 551 (Medical back problems with MCC) or 552 (without MCC) under DRG v43.0. When surgical intervention is performed — anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) at C7-T1 or posterior decompression — confirm this diagnosis code supports medical necessity and is paired with the procedure-specific CPT. Drop any symptom codes (e.g., cervicalgia M54.2) once M50.23 is established as the confirmed diagnosis.
Inclusion & exclusion notes
Per the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Source · CDC ICD-10-CM Official Tabular List · 2026
Includes
- Other C7-T1 cervical disc displacement
Sibling codes
Other billable codes under M50.2 (laterality / anatomic variants).
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓
01What disc level does M50.23 cover?
02How does M50.23 differ from M50.13 and M50.03?
03Can M50.23 be used for degenerative disc disease at C7-T1?
04Should I add a cervicalgia code (M54.2) alongside M50.23?
05Which CPT codes are commonly paired with M50.23 for surgical claims?
06Does M50.23 require a 7th character?
07What DRGs does M50.23 group to under MS-DRG v43.0?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.
- 01CDC ICD-10-CM Tabular List 2026 (effective October 1, 2025)
- 02icd10data.comhttps://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/M00-M99/M50-M54/M50-/M50.23
- 03cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/article.aspx?articleid=59624&ver=13
- 04aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/codes/icd-10-codes/M50.23
- 05mdclarity.comhttps://www.mdclarity.com/icd-codes/m50-23
Mira AI Scribe
Mira's AI scribe captures the affected disc level (C7-T1), displacement type from imaging (herniation, protrusion, or bulge), and absence of documented myelopathy or radiculopathy — the three elements that lock in M50.23 over M50.03 or M50.13. Without this specificity, the claim risks downcoding to an unspecified cervical disc disorder or a payer audit flag for mismatched diagnosis-to-procedure linkage.
See how Mira captures M50.23 documentation