Inflammation of the psoas tendon at its attachment or along its course at the left hip, classified as a lower-limb enthesopathy under ICD-10-CM Chapter 13.

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M76.12.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

• Explicitly state 'left' hip in the assessment — M76.10 (unspecified) will be assigned if laterality is absent from the note.
• Record the clinical basis for tendinitis: anterior hip or groin pain with hip flexion, palpation tenderness over the iliopsoas, and any imaging (ultrasound or MRI) showing tendon thickening, signal change, or peritendinous edema.
• Document conservative treatment history (physical therapy, NSAIDs, activity modification) before submitting for injection procedures — CMS medical necessity criteria under A57079 require it.
• If an ultrasound-guided injection is performed, note real-time imaging guidance separately; CPT 76942 requires its own documentation of the guidance and permanent record.
• Distinguish tendinitis from iliopsoas bursitis in the assessment — they are coded differently (M76.12 vs. M70.72) and payers may audit when the diagnosis does not match the anatomical target of the injection.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M76.12. 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 M76.12 and adjacent codes.

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

• Using M76.10 (unspecified hip) when the note clearly states 'left' — always assign the most specific code available; M76.12 is billable and more specific.
• Coding M76.12 for an acute traumatic psoas tear or strain — traumatic injuries require S76.1xx- with a 7th-character extension (A, D, or S), not an M-code.
• Assigning M76.12 alone for a bilateral presentation — bilateral psoas tendinitis requires both M76.11 and M76.12; there is no single bilateral psoas tendinitis code in ICD-10-CM.
• Confusing psoas tendinitis (M76.12) with iliopsoas bursitis (M70.72, left hip) — the M76 category excludes bursitis due to use, overuse, and pressure per the Excludes2 note at M76.
• Submitting M76.12 with injection CPT codes without documenting conservative care failure — payers following CMS A57079 criteria may deny without evidence of prior non-invasive treatment.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M76.1 (laterality / anatomic variants).