ICD-10-CM · Spine

M50.83

Cervical disc disorder at the C7-T1 (cervicothoracic) junction that does not meet criteria for myelopathy, radiculopathy, displacement, or degeneration — a residual category for pathology specific to that transitional spinal level.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 10
Region: Spine

Drawn from CDCCMSICD10DataAAPCOutsourcestrategies

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M50.83.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Explicitly state the spinal level as C7-T1 or 'cervicothoracic region' — ambiguous level documentation defaults to unspecified codes and loses specificity.
Specify that the disorder does not include myelopathy or radiculopathy if those are absent; if either is present, use M50.03 or M50.13 instead.
Record whether cervicalgia is present — it is an inclusion term under M50 and supports medical necessity for conservative and interventional treatment.
Document MRI or CT findings at the C7-T1 level (disc signal change, annular tear, disc height loss) to substantiate the diagnosis and defend against audit.
Note the clinical distinction from adjacent-level thoracic disc pathology; C7-T1 disorders belong under M50, not M51.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M50.83. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

Source · CMS LCDs · AAOS specialty guidance · claims-pattern analysis

22551 $1,604.91

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) at a single interspace, performed through a front-of-neck approach with removal of disc material and arthrodesis of adjacent vertebral bodies.

22554 $1,215.79

Anterior interbody arthrodesis of the cervical spine below C2, performed via anterior approach with minimal diskectomy to prepare the interspace for fusion — not performed for decompression purposes.

22600 $1,282.93

Posterior or posterolateral cervical spinal fusion at a single interspace below C2, performed through a posterior approach to achieve bony arthrodesis.

72141 $190.72

MRI of the cervical spinal canal and its contents performed without contrast material.

99213 $95.19

Established patient office or outpatient visit requiring 20–29 minutes of total time or low-complexity medical decision-making.

99214 $135.61

Office visit for an established patient requiring moderate-complexity medical decision making (MDM), or 30–39 minutes of total provider time on the date of service.

62320 View procedure details

64479 View procedure details

64480 View procedure details

72156 View procedure details

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M50.83 and adjacent codes.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓

Assigning M50.83 when radiculopathy or myelopathy is documented at C7-T1 — those presentations require M50.13 or M50.03 respectively, and undercoding loses reimbursement specificity.
Using a mid-cervical code (M50.823, C6-C7) when the documented level is C7-T1 — these are adjacent but distinct cervicothoracic junction levels with separate codes.
Defaulting to M51 thoracic disc codes for C7-T1 pathology — the cervicothoracic junction belongs in the M50 cervical disc category, not M51.
Selecting M50.93 (unspecified type, cervicothoracic) when the encounter note describes a defined disc disorder type — M50.83 is the more specific billable choice.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

M50.83 covers cervical disc disorders at the cervicothoracic junction (C7-T1) that fall outside the more precisely defined subcategories of myelopathy (M50.03), radiculopathy (M50.13), displacement (M50.23), or degeneration (M50.33). Use it when documentation confirms disc pathology at C7-T1 but the clinical picture doesn't fit one of those more specific presentations — for example, a cervicothoracic disc disorder accompanied by cervicalgia without documented nerve root compression or cord involvement. The ICD-10-CM tabular includes cervicothoracic disc disorders with cervicalgia as an inclusion term under the M50 parent category.

The cervicothoracic junction is anatomically and biomechanically distinct from the mid-cervical spine, and ICD-10-CM encodes it separately. If the treating physician documents C7-T1 pathology, M50.83 is the correct code — not the mid-cervical codes (M50.820–M50.823) and not the thoracic disc codes under M51. If level documentation is absent, drop to M50.80 (unspecified cervical region). Do not use M50.93 (cervical disc disorder, unspecified, cervicothoracic region) when the type of disorder is documented; that code is reserved for genuinely uncharacterized pathology.

M50.83 is listed as a supporting medical necessity code for chiropractic services under CMS LCD A56273. It appears frequently alongside cervical spine surgical and injection CPT codes when the cervicothoracic region is the operative or treatment target.

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 disorders

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M50.8 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M50.80

Other cervical disc disorders, unspecified cervical region

M50.81

Other cervical disc disorders, high cervical region

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01What disc level does M50.83 represent?

M50.83 covers disorders at the C7-T1 level, also called the cervicothoracic junction. The tabular inclusion term reads 'Other C7-T1 cervical disc disorders.'

02When should I use M50.83 instead of M50.13?

Use M50.13 when radiculopathy at the C7-T1 level is documented — nerve root compression with dermatomal pain, weakness, or numbness. Use M50.83 when disc pathology at C7-T1 is present but radiculopathy is not documented.

03Can I use M50.83 if the physician only documents 'cervical disc disease' without specifying a level?

No. Without level documentation you must use M50.80 (other cervical disc disorders, unspecified cervical region). Query the provider or review imaging reports to confirm C7-T1 involvement before assigning M50.83.

04Is M50.83 valid for chiropractic billing under Medicare?

Yes. CMS LCD A56273 lists M50.83 explicitly as a code supporting medical necessity for chiropractic services.

05Why is C7-T1 coded under M50 (cervical) rather than M51 (thoracic)?

ICD-10-CM classifies all cervicothoracic disc disorders — including C7-T1 — under the M50 cervical disc category. M51 covers thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral disc disorders. Code C7-T1 pathology as M50.83, not M51.

06What is the difference between M50.83 and M50.93?

M50.83 is used when the type of cervicothoracic disc disorder is documented (but does not meet criteria for myelopathy, radiculopathy, displacement, or degeneration). M50.93 is reserved for genuinely unspecified cervicothoracic disc disorders where the type cannot be characterized. If the note describes the disorder type, M50.83 is the correct choice.

07Does M50.83 include cervicalgia as a covered condition?

Yes. The M50 parent category includes 'cervicothoracic disc disorders with cervicalgia' as an inclusion term, so cervicalgia at the C7-T1 level does not require a separate code when M50.83 is assigned.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

The Mira AI Scribe captures the documented spinal level (C7-T1 or cervicothoracic), the nature of the disc pathology, the absence or presence of myelopathy and radiculopathy, any cervicalgia, and imaging findings such as disc height loss or annular disruption at C7-T1. This prevents level ambiguity that forces a downcode to M50.80 (unspecified region) and avoids miscoding to mid-cervical or thoracic categories.

See how Mira captures M50.83 documentation