Question 1

What is ICD-10 code B72?

Accepted Answer

B72 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for dracunculiasis. A parasitic infection caused by a guinea worm that develops under the skin and emerges through a blister, typically acquired by drinking contaminated water. B72 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for certain infectious and parasitic diseases (a00-b99), within the section covering helminthiases (b65-b83).

B72 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

Dracunculiasis is nearly eradicated globally; document geographic location if patient is from endemic area.

Question 2

Is B72 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. B72 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any payment HCC category under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can still be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions, but it does not contribute to the beneficiary's Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) score and therefore does not affect the risk-adjusted capitation payment to the plan. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026.

Question 3

Is B72 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. B72 is a billable ICD-10-CM code that can be reported on professional and institutional claims as a primary or secondary diagnosis when the provider documentation supports the specific condition described. Billable codes in ICD-10-CM are coded to the highest level of specificity available for the documented diagnosis. B72 is current for fiscal year 2026 and remains in the active CMS ICD-10-CM code set published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Question 4

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for B72?

Accepted Answer

B72 does not map to a payment HCC under either the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model or the older V24 model. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition. Because neither model rewards B72 with a risk adjustment factor, it contributes zero to a Medicare Advantage beneficiary's RAF score in either version. Coders should check whether provider documentation supports a more specific child code that does map to a payment HCC.

Question 5

What should coders know when reporting B72?

Accepted Answer

Dracunculiasis is nearly eradicated globally; document geographic location if patient is from endemic area Note the stage of infection (developing, emerging, or post-emergence) and location of the worm if documented

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B72 ICD-10-CM Code: Dracunculiasis

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B72

Is B72 an HCC code?

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What This Code Means

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Work B72 in HCC Buddy