M06.222 Rheumatoid bursitis, left elbow

ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M06.222: Rheumatoid bursitis, left elbow

ICD-10-CM code M06.222 represents rheumatoid bursitis of the left elbow, classified as a disease or syndrome. It is a specific, terminal code nested under the parent concept for elbow rheumatoid bursitis. General clinical literature establishes that systemic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis can cause bursitis. 1 2 6

Plain-language overview

Systemic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can cause or predispose individuals to bursitis through immune-mediated inflammation, and clinical literature describes elbow bursitis as swelling at the back of the elbow. 2

What this code represents

Code M06.222 is an active terminology concept representing the diagnosis of rheumatoid bursitis, left elbow, and its semantic type is classified as a disease or syndrome. 1

The code M06.222 is a terminal concept within the ICD-10-CM hierarchy, meaning it has no narrower descendant concepts and exists under the parent code M06.22 for rheumatoid bursitis of the elbow. 1 6

Coding details

The hierarchy for this diagnosis places code M06.222 within chapter thirteen, under category M06, subcategory M06.2, and specifically the M06.22 elbow bursitis grouping. 6

Code M06.222 provides specific laterality for the left elbow, distinguishing it from M06.229, which represents rheumatoid bursitis of an unspecified elbow. 3

Clinical context

Clinical literature describes elbow bursitis as presenting with localized swelling, tenderness, warmth, and erythema over the posterior elbow, with rheumatoid arthritis being a systemic condition that can predispose individuals to this inflammation. 2

Documentation considerations

The official terminology record for M06.222 specifies the anatomical site as the left elbow and the condition as rheumatoid bursitis, while a Medicare billing article lists this exact code alongside other rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses. 1 3

Coverage and utilization context

Code M06.222 appears in a Medicare billing and coding article concerning molecular biomarker testing for rheumatoid arthritis, which lists the code alongside other related diagnoses such as M06.229 and M06.80. 3

What the sources add

Terminology records define M06.222 as an active diagnosis for left elbow rheumatoid bursitis, clinical references detail the posterior elbow swelling associated with general bursitis, and a Medicare article lists the code within a rheumatoid arthritis biomarker testing policy. 1 2 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM M06.222 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Article - Billing and Coding: MolDX: Molecular Biomarker Testing to Guide Targeted Therapy Selection in Rheumatoid Arthritis (A59522) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. Rheumatology ICD 10 Codes - Rheumatology Advisor — rheumatologyadvisor.com; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. M06.222 — medcode.ch; accessed 2026-07-27.