M79.12: Myalgia of auxiliary muscles, head and neck

M79.12, myalgia of auxiliary muscles, head and neck, is listed as a covered diagnosis in 15 Medicare billing and coding articles that apply to 22 HCPCS Level II codes, including J1010 (Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 1 mg), J0585 (Injection, onabotulinumtoxina, 1 unit), J3301 (Injection, triamcinolone acetonide, not otherwise…). The articles come from 7 Medicare contractors. A listed diagnosis supports medical necessity only; coverage still depends on the LCD's criteria and on documentation in the medical record.

HCPCS Level II codes with M79.12 as a covered diagnosis

CodeDescriptionMedicare coverageDMEPOS fee 2026 (state range)Articles listing it
J1010Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 1 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J0585Injection, onabotulinumtoxina, 1 unitSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J3301Injection, triamcinolone acetonide, not otherwise specified, 10 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J1100Injection, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, 1 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J0588Injection, incobotulinumtoxin a, 1 unitCarrier judgment—2
J0702Injection, betamethasone acetate 3 mg and betamethasone sodium phosphate 3 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J0586Injection, abobotulinumtoxina, 5 unitsCarrier judgment—2
J3300Injection, triamcinolone acetonide (triesence), preservative free, 1 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J3121Injection, testosterone enanthate, 1 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J0587Injection, rimabotulinumtoxinb, 100 unitsSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
J7040Infusion, normal saline solution, sterile (500 ml = 1 unit)Special coverage instructions apply—2
J0589Injection, daxibotulinumtoxina-lanm, 1 unitCarrier judgment—2
J2919Injection, methylprednisolone sodium succinate, 5 mgSpecial coverage instructions apply—2
G0480Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing (1) drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., ia, eia, elisa, emit, fpia) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)), (2) stable isotope or other universally recognized internal standards in all samples (e.g., to control for matrix effects, interferences and variations in signal strength), and (3) method or drug-specific calibration and matrix-matched quality control material (e.g., to control for instrument variations and mass spectral drift); qualitative or quantitative, all sources, includes specimen validity testing, per day; 1-7 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performedCarrier judgment—7
G0483Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing (1) drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., ia, eia, elisa, emit, fpia) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)), (2) stable isotope or other universally recognized internal standards in all samples (e.g., to control for matrix effects, interferences and variations in signal strength), and (3) method or drug-specific calibration and matrix-matched quality control material (e.g., to control for instrument variations and mass spectral drift); qualitative or quantitative, all sources, includes specimen validity testing, per day; 22 or more drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performedCarrier judgment—7
G0482Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing (1) drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., ia, eia, elisa, emit, fpia) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)), (2) stable isotope or other universally recognized internal standards in all samples (e.g., to control for matrix effects, interferences and variations in signal strength), and (3) method or drug-specific calibration and matrix-matched quality control material (e.g., to control for instrument variations and mass spectral drift); qualitative or quantitative, all sources, includes specimen validity testing, per day; 15-21 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performedCarrier judgment—7
G0481Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing (1) drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including, but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms (any type, single or tandem and excluding immunoassays (e.g., ia, eia, elisa, emit, fpia) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase)), (2) stable isotope or other universally recognized internal standards in all samples (e.g., to control for matrix effects, interferences and variations in signal strength), and (3) method or drug-specific calibration and matrix-matched quality control material (e.g., to control for instrument variations and mass spectral drift); qualitative or quantitative, all sources, includes specimen validity testing, per day; 8-14 drug class(es), including metabolite(s) if performedCarrier judgment—7
G0659Drug test(s), definitive, utilizing drug identification methods able to identify individual drugs and distinguish between structural isomers (but not necessarily stereoisomers), including but not limited to gc/ms (any type, single or tandem) and lc/ms (any type, single or tandem), excluding immunoassays (e.g., ia, eia, elisa, emit, fpia) and enzymatic methods (e.g., alcohol dehydrogenase), performed without method or drug-specific calibration, without matrix-matched quality control material, or without use of stable isotope or other universally recognized internal standard(s) for each drug, drug metabolite or drug class per specimen; qualitative or quantitative, all sources, includes specimen validity testing, per day, any number of drug classesCarrier judgment—7
G0283Electrical stimulation (unattended), to one or more areas for indication(s) other than wound care, as part of a therapy plan of careCarrier judgment—1
G0281Electrical stimulation, (unattended), to one or more areas, for chronic stage iii and stage iv pressure ulcers, arterial ulcers, diabetic ulcers, and venous stasis ulcers not demonstrating measurable signs of healing after 30 days of conventional care, as part of a therapy plan of careCarrier judgment—1
G0329Electromagnetic therapy, to one or more areas for chronic stage iii and stage iv pressure ulcers, arterial ulcers, diabetic ulcers and venous stasis ulcers not demonstrating measurable signs of healing after 30 days of conventional care as part of a therapy plan of careCarrier judgment—1
G0255Current perception threshold/sensory nerve conduction test, (snct) per limb, any nerveNon-covered by MedicareNot covered5

Medicare policy articles listing M79.12

A diagnosis listed as covered in a billing and coding article supports medical necessity for the article's codes; it does not guarantee payment. Coverage depends on the LCD's criteria, the contractor's jurisdiction and documentation in the medical record.

Other M79 diagnoses (Other and unspecified soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified)

Frequently asked questions

Does Medicare cover M79.12 (Myalgia of auxiliary muscles, head and neck)?

Medicare covers items and services, not diagnoses. 15 Medicare billing and coding articles list M79.12 as a covered diagnosis for 22 HCPCS Level II codes: the diagnosis can support medical necessity for those codes, but payment still depends on the LCD's coverage criteria and the medical record.

Which HCPCS codes can be billed with ICD-10 M79.12?

The Level II codes from the policies most specific to this diagnosis are J1010 (Injection, methylprednisolone acetate, 1 mg, 2 articles); J0585 (Injection, onabotulinumtoxina, 1 unit, 2 articles); J3301 (Injection, triamcinolone acetonide, not otherwise…, 2 articles); J1100 (Injection, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, 1 mg, 2 articles); J0588 (Injection, incobotulinumtoxin a, 1 unit, 2 articles). Code choice depends on the item supplied; check each code's descriptor.

Which Medicare policy articles list M79.12?

A57114 (Billing and Coding: Trigger Point Injections); A57751 (Billing and Coding: Trigger Point Injections); A57077 (Billing and Coding: Controlled Substance Monitoring and Drugs of Abuse Testing), and 12 more articles.

What is ICD-10-CM code M79.12?

M79.12 is the ICD-10-CM code for myalgia of auxiliary muscles, head and neck, in category M79 (Other and unspecified soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified), chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue.

Next steps

Sources: CMS Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles (covered ICD-10 code lists and HCPCS links); ICD-10-CM FY2026; CMS HCPCS Level II release October 2026; CMS DMEPOS fee schedule 2026 (non-rural state fees). Not billing or legal advice.

Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue · All diagnoses · HCPCS lookup