Hip bursitis classified as 'other' (not trochanteric) with laterality undocumented or unspecified — covers ischial bursitis and similar non-trochanteric hip bursa inflammations when the affected side is not recorded.
Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓
- Status
- Billable
- Chapter
- 13
- Related CPT
- 7
- Region
- Hip
Documentation tips
What should appear in the chart to support M70.70.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓
- Record laterality explicitly — 'right hip' or 'left hip' — so M70.71 or M70.72 can be used instead of M70.70.
- Specify the bursa involved (e.g., ischial bursa) to distinguish from trochanteric bursitis and justify the M70.7 family over M70.6x.
- Include objective findings: point tenderness location, ROM limitation, and any ultrasound or MRI findings confirming bursal inflammation.
- Document activity or occupational exposure and add a Y93.- external cause code when the bursitis is use- or work-related.
- Note any prior conservative care (NSAIDs, physical therapy, corticosteroid injection) to support medical necessity for procedures.
Related CPT procedures
Procedure codes commonly billed with M70.70. 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 M70.70 and adjacent codes.
Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓
- Billing M70.70 when laterality is documented in the note — always upgrade to M70.71 (right) or M70.72 (left) when the side is specified.
- Confusing M70.7x (other hip bursitis, including ischial) with M70.6x (trochanteric bursitis) — the greater trochanter bursa maps exclusively to the M70.6 family.
- Using parent code M70.7, which is non-billable; M70.70 is the minimum billable code when laterality is truly unspecified.
- Omitting the Y93.- activity external cause code for occupationally or sport-driven cases, which is instructed at the M70 category level.
- Coding M70.70 alongside M71.9- (bursitis NOS) — the Excludes1 annotation at M70 prohibits this combination.
Clinical context
Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓
M70.70 is the unspecified-laterality version of 'other bursitis of hip' under the M70.7 parent code. The 'other' designation distinguishes this from trochanteric bursitis (M70.6x) — the M70.7 family includes ischial bursitis and inflammation of other non-trochanteric hip bursae. Use M70.70 only when the provider has genuinely not documented which hip is affected. If laterality is in the chart, move to M70.71 (right) or M70.72 (left).
M70.70 sits within the M70 category of soft tissue disorders related to use, overuse, and pressure. The category-level note instructs coders to use an additional external cause code (Y93.-) to identify the activity causing the disorder when applicable — relevant for occupational or sport-related presentations. Excludes1 at the M70 level bars bursitis NOS (M71.9-), so M70.70 requires clinical specificity beyond a generic bursitis label. Trochanteric bursitis maps to M70.6x, not here.
For MS-DRG grouping purposes, M70.70 falls under DRG 557 (Tendonitis, myositis and bursitis with MCC) or DRG 558 (without MCC). Billing this code when the record contains laterality documentation will flag as under-coded on audit and risks downcoding or payer rejection. Query the provider before submitting if laterality is absent.
Sibling codes
Other billable codes under M70.7 (laterality / anatomic variants).
Frequently asked questions
Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓
01When should I use M70.70 instead of M70.71 or M70.72?
02What is the difference between M70.70 and M70.60?
03Is M70.7 billable as a standalone code?
04Does M70.70 require an external cause code?
05Can M70.70 be used for trochanteric bursitis when laterality is unknown?
06What MS-DRGs does M70.70 group to?
07Can M70.70 and M71.9 be billed together?
Sources & references
Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.
- 01CDC ICD-10-CM Tabular List 2026 (effective Oct 1, 2025)
- 02icd10data.comhttps://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/M00-M99/M70-M79/M70-/M70.70
- 03icd10data.comhttps://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/M00-M99/M70-M79/M70-/M70.7
- 04aapc.comhttps://www.aapc.com/codes/icd-10-codes/M70.7
- 05cms.govhttps://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding/icd10/downloads/icd10clinicalconceptsorthopedics1.pdf
Mira AI Scribe
Mira AI Scribe captures the affected hip side, the specific bursa location (e.g., ischial vs. trochanteric), ROM deficits, point-tenderness landmarks, and imaging results (ultrasound or MRI confirming bursal fluid or inflammation) directly from the encounter note. This prevents defaulting to the unspecified M70.70 when laterality and bursa type are actually documented, avoiding audit flags for under-coded specificity.
See how Mira captures M70.70 documentation