Soft tissue bursitis of the right elbow that is not classified as olecranon bursitis — used for overuse- or pressure-related bursal inflammation at other anatomical sites around the right elbow joint.

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M70.31.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

• Specify 'right elbow' explicitly in the assessment — avoid ambiguous terms like 'dominant elbow' without also naming the side.
• Identify the specific bursal site (e.g., radiohumeral, bicipitoradial) to distinguish M70.31 from olecranon bursitis (M70.21); if documentation only states 'elbow bursitis,' query the provider for site specificity.
• Record imaging findings — ultrasound or MRI evidence of bursal fluid, thickening, or periarticular inflammation — to support medical necessity for injection procedures billed alongside this diagnosis.
• Document the occupational or activity-related etiology when present and add a Y93 external cause code to reflect the overuse mechanism, as required by the M70 category guidelines.
• Note prior conservative management (NSAIDs, activity modification, physical therapy) in the note when proceeding to injection — this supports medical necessity under applicable LCDs.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M70.31. 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 M70.31 and adjacent codes.

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

• Assigning M70.31 when the bursa involved is actually the olecranon bursa — that maps to M70.21 (olecranon bursitis, right elbow), a distinct code with its own reimbursement pathway.
• Defaulting to M70.30 (unspecified elbow) when the provider has clearly documented the right side — always use the lateralized code when documentation supports it.
• Confusing M70.31 with M71.121 (other infective bursitis, right elbow) — M70.31 is for non-infective, use/overuse/pressure-related bursitis; if infection is documented, M71.121 applies instead.
• Failing to add an external cause code (Y93 series) when the bursitis is clearly occupation- or activity-related, as the M70 category includes a 'Use Additional' instruction for activity codes.
• Billing M70.31 as the sole diagnosis on a claim for CPT 20610/20611 without supporting documentation of bursal site, laterality, and failed conservative care — this is a common LCD audit trigger.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M70.3 (laterality / anatomic variants).