M84.38XA
Stress fracture, other site, initial encounter for fracture
M84.38XA (also written M8438XA) is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for stress fracture, other site, initial encounter for fracture. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. It is one of the 928 codes in category M84 (Disorder of continuity of bone). The Alphabetic Index lists it under 2 entries. Its 7th character, A, means initial encounter for fracture. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, 3 Excludes1 entries and 14 Excludes2 entries.
7th character
Category M84.3 requires a 7th character. M84.38 has only 5 characters, so a placeholder X fills the 6th position.
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
- external cause code(s) to identify the cause of the stress fracture
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
- traumatic fracture of bone-see fracture, by site
Also from chapter/block level (10 notes)
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Care settings
How CMS programs treat this code. These are CMS claim edits and list entries, not coverage or eligibility rules.
Home Health Primary
Accepted as the primary (principal) diagnosis on a home health claim. The Home Health Grouper assigns it to the Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation clinical group.
Source: CMS Home Health Grouper Software v07.2.26, effective October 1, 2026Notes
Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
- Use an external cause code following the code for the musculoskeletal condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the musculoskeletal condition
Alphabetic Index terms
Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for M84.38. This code adds the 7th character. 2 entries