B18.2
BillableChronic viral hepatitis C
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 65 — Chronic Hepatitis
0.472V24HCC 29 — Chronic Hepatitis
0.245ESRDHCC 29 — Chronic Hepatitis
0.000RxHCCHCC 54 — Chronic Viral Hepatitis C
0.000What This Code Means
A long-term hepatitis C infection where the virus persists in the body and can cause ongoing liver damage.
Coding Tips
- •Specify genotype if known, as it affects treatment decisions
- •Document whether the patient has cirrhosis or other complications for complete coding
Clinical Significance
Chronic viral hepatitis C is one of the most commonly coded chronic viral infections in risk adjustment, affecting approximately 2.4 million Americans. It is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation. Accurate capture is critical for both risk adjustment and ensuring patients receive curative direct-acting antiviral therapy.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Positive hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) AND detectable HCV RNA confirming active chronic infection
- ✓Duration >6 months or documentation of chronic status by provider
- ✓HCV genotype documented (affects treatment selection)
- ✓Liver disease staging: fibrosis assessment (FIB-4, elastography, or biopsy), cirrhosis status
- ✓Treatment history: prior treatment attempts, current DAA therapy, sustained virologic response (SVR) status
Commonly Confused Codes
B17.10 (Acute hepatitis C without hepatic coma) — Newly acquired infection; chronic implies >6 months durationB19.20 (Unspecified viral hepatitis C without hepatic coma) — Use when acute vs. chronic is unknown; B18.2 requires confirmed chronicityZ22.52 (Carrier of viral hepatitis C) — Carrier status; B18.2 is active chronic infection with detectable viral loadB18.1 (Chronic viral hepatitis B without delta) — Different hepatitis virus; verify which hepatitis type is documented