C02.3 ICD-10-CM Code: Malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified
HCC Buddy Code Card
Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.
FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx (C00-C14)
C02.3
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceMalignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified
Cancer of the front two-thirds of the tongue when the exact surface location is not specified.
Buddy Insight
Malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified, is used when documentation confirms cancer of the oral tongue but does not specify the exact surface (dorsal, ventral, or border).
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 21
RAF 0.545
CMS-HCC V24
MappedHCC 11
RAF 0.306
ACA/HHS
00
RAF 0
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 11
RAF 0.0
RXHCC
MappedHCC 22
RAF 0.0
Code Trumping
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Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
Official- Malignant neoplasm of middle third of tongue NOS
- Malignant neoplasm of mobile part of tongue NOS
Excludes 2
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C02.3 in this effective period.
Related Child Codes
Includes
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C02.3 in this effective period.
Excludes 1
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C02.3 in this effective period.
Code First
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C02.3 in this effective period.
Use Additional
Official- code to identify:
- alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
- history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
- tobacco dependence (F17.-)
- tobacco use (Z72.0)
Code Also
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C02.3 in this effective period.
Buddy Documentation Tip
MEAT Support
Audit Caution
Common Mistakes
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.
Is C02.3 an HCC code?
Yes. C02.3 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Colorectal, Bladder, and Other Cancers 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 C02.3
For C02.3to 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 C02.3 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C02.3 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified. Cancer of the front two-thirds of the tongue when the exact surface location is not specified. C02.3 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx (c00-c14).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C02.3 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors (HCC 21) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.545. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, C02.3 maps to Colorectal, Bladder, and Other Cancers (HCC 11) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.306. 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.
Use this code when documentation indicates anterior tongue but does not specify dorsal, ventral, or border. Because C02.3 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 C02.3 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Use this code when documentation indicates anterior tongue but does not specify dorsal, ventral, or border
- •This is a less specific code; request clarification if the exact surface can be determined
Clinical Significance
Malignant neoplasm of anterior two-thirds of tongue, part unspecified, is used when documentation confirms cancer of the oral tongue but does not specify the exact surface (dorsal, ventral, or border). This less-specific code should prompt a documentation query, as the specific subsite affects surgical approach and prognosis.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming malignancy of the oral tongue
- ✓Documentation placing the tumor in the anterior two-thirds (oral tongue) vs posterior third (base)
- ✓Provider query documented regarding specific surface involvement
- ✓Staging and treatment plan documented
- ✓Active malignancy confirmed
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C02.0 (Dorsal surface) - use when top surface is specified
- •C02.1 (Border of tongue) - use when lateral margin is specified
- •C02.2 (Ventral surface) - use when undersurface is specified
- •C01 (Base of tongue) - base is posterior third, not anterior two-thirds
- •C02.9 (Tongue, unspecified) - even less specific; does not indicate anterior vs posterior