B44.0
BillableInvasive pulmonary aspergillosis
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is B44.0 an HCC code?
Yes. B44.0 maps to Opportunistic Infections under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Opportunistic Infections under V24).
HCC Category Mapping
RAF weights shown are the community, non-dual, aged base weights from the CMS risk adjustment model file. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member segment, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains in use during the transition and for historical data.
MEAT Criteria for B44.0
For B44.0 to count as a valid HCC diagnosis in a given encounter, the provider's documentation must show MEAT: Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat. A diagnosis from a prior year does not carry forward automatically — it has to be re-documented and supported each calendar year.
- MMonitor: signs, symptoms, disease progression, or lab trending documented in the note
- EEvaluate: test results, medication response, or physical findings reviewed by the provider
- AAssess: explicit mention in the assessment or plan with acknowledgment of status
- TTreat: medication, referral, procedure, therapy, or counseling tied to the diagnosis
Only one of M/E/A/T is required to support the code, but the documentation must be specific enough to show that the provider actually addressed B44.0 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
B44.0 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. A serious fungal infection of the lungs caused by Aspergillus fungus that invades lung tissue, typically occurring in immunocompromised patients. B44.0 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for certain infectious and parasitic diseases (a00-b99), within the section covering mycoses (b35-b49).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, B44.0 maps to Opportunistic Infections (HCC 6) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.439. Under the older V24 model, B44.0 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.440 — V28 recalibrated weights across the entire model. V28 is the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model that reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition.
Document the extent of pulmonary involvement and whether this is acute or chronic invasive aspergillosis. Because B44.0 maps to a payment HCC, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's Medicare Advantage risk adjustment score. When documentation is ambiguous, coders should issue a provider query rather than assume the highest-specificity variant.
HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for B44.0 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Document the extent of pulmonary involvement and whether this is acute or chronic invasive aspergillosis
- •Verify patient's immunocompromised status (HIV, transplant, chemotherapy, etc.) as this is critical for clinical context
Clinical Significance
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection with mortality rates of 30-95% depending on immune status and treatment timing. It primarily affects severely immunocompromised patients including those on chemotherapy, post-transplant immunosuppression, or with prolonged neutropenia. This code carries significant RAF weight reflecting the extreme clinical acuity.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓CT imaging with halo sign or air-crescent sign characteristic of invasive aspergillosis
- ✓Positive galactomannan antigen (serum or bronchoalveolar lavage) or culture/histopathology
- ✓Documented immunocompromised state: neutropenia, transplant, high-dose steroids, chemotherapy
- ✓Severity indicators: degree and duration of neutropenia, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation
- ✓Antifungal treatment documented (voriconazole as first-line, or amphotericin B)