ICD-10 · PDGM grouping
M53 Other and unspecified dorsopathies, not elsewhere classified
All 22 codes in the M53 family, with the PDGM clinical group, comorbidity subgroup and primary-position rule CMS assigns, read from the CMS grouper crosswalk v07.2.26 and the CDC FY2027 code file.
Codes in family
22
Can lead a claim
19
Cannot lead a claim
3
What CMS assigns to M53
19 of the 22 codes group to Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation; 3 are assigned no clinical group. None of the 22 is assigned a comorbidity subgroup. 19 of the 22 can lead a claim.
Every code in M53
Descriptions are CDC’s FY2027 wording; where CMS’s grouper abbreviates one, its form is shown beneath.
| Code | Description | Primary position | Clinical group | Comorbidity subgroup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M53.0 | Cervicocranial syndrome | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.1 | Cervicobrachial syndrome | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2 Spinal instabilities | ||||
| M53.2X Spinal instabilities | ||||
| M53.2X1 | Spinal instabilities, occipito-atlanto-axial region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X2 | Spinal instabilities, cervical region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X3 | Spinal instabilities, cervicothoracic region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X4 | Spinal instabilities, thoracic region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X5 | Spinal instabilities, thoracolumbar region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X6 | Spinal instabilities, lumbar region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X7 | Spinal instabilities, lumbosacral region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X8 | Spinal instabilities, sacral and sacrococcygeal region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.2X9 | Spinal instabilities, site unspecified | Cannot lead a claimPrincipal diagnosis not assigned to a clinical group | None | None |
| M53.3 | Sacrococcygeal disorders, not elsewhere classified | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.8 Other specified dorsopathies | ||||
| M53.80 | Other specified dorsopathies, site unspecified | Cannot lead a claimPrincipal diagnosis not assigned to a clinical group | None | None |
| M53.81 | Other specified dorsopathies, occipito-atlanto-axial region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.82 | Other specified dorsopathies, cervical region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.83 | Other specified dorsopathies, cervicothoracic region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.84 | Other specified dorsopathies, thoracic region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.85 | Other specified dorsopathies, thoracolumbar region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.86 | Other specified dorsopathies, lumbar region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.87 | Other specified dorsopathies, lumbosacral region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.88 | Other specified dorsopathies, sacral and sacrococcygeal regionCMS: Oth dorsopathies, sacral and sacrococcygeal region | Can lead a claim | E | None |
| M53.9 | Dorsopathy, unspecified | Cannot lead a claimPrincipal diagnosis not assigned to a clinical group | None | None |
Sources: CMS HH PPS Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective 2026-10-01, for the clinical group, comorbidity subgroup, code-first conventions and primary-position flags; CDC NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code descriptions for the family title and code wording. This is the crosswalk Medicare runs a claim through. Grouping also depends on admission source, timing, the OASIS functional items and the rest of the diagnosis list.
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