Inflammation of the trochanteric bursa overlying the greater trochanter of the femur, coded when the affected hip side is not specified in the clinical documentation.

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M70.60.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

• Record laterality by name (right or left) in every note — a single word eliminates the need for M70.60 entirely.
• Document the specific clinical findings that support the diagnosis: point tenderness over the greater trochanter, pain with resisted hip abduction or external rotation, and any positive FABER or Ober test results.
• Note imaging findings when obtained — ultrasound showing bursal fluid or MRI confirming peritrochanteric inflammation strengthens medical necessity and supports specificity.
• If both hips are affected, document bilateral involvement explicitly; code each side separately with M70.61 and M70.62 rather than defaulting to M70.60.
• For injection encounters, confirm the provider's note names the injected bursa and the side — payers cross-check CPT 20610/20611 laterality against the diagnosis code.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M70.60. 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 M70.60 and adjacent codes.

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

• Defaulting to M70.60 when the note says 'hip bursitis' without checking whether laterality is documented elsewhere in the chart — SOAP notes, order sheets, or prior visits often contain the missing side.
• Using M70.60 for bilateral trochanteric bursitis instead of coding M70.61 and M70.62 separately; the unspecified code does not represent bilateral involvement under ICD-10-CM convention.
• Confusing trochanteric bursitis (M70.6x) with other hip bursitis types; ischial or iliopsoas bursitis falls under M70.7x (Other bursitis of hip) — verify the anatomic bursa named in the note.
• Coding M70.60 when documentation actually describes gluteal tendinopathy or greater trochanteric pain syndrome without confirmed bursal inflammation — those presentations may warrant a different code or additional specificity review.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M70.6 (laterality / anatomic variants).