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C16.1 ICD-10-CM Code: Malignant neoplasm of fundus of stomach

C16.1 maps to CMS-HCC V28 20. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC coding software

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Code lookupC16.1

FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs (C15-C26)

C16.1

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Malignant neoplasm of fundus of stomach

Cancer of the fundus, which is the upper curved portion of the stomach.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Malignant neoplasm of the gastric fundus is a cancer in the upper dome-shaped portion of the stomach, which can be particularly challenging to detect early due to its location.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 20

Coefficient HCC 20: 1.136 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Historical

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

HCC 009

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

HCC 9

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

HCC 22

Code-level coefficient reference

Inclusion Terms

Official

No inclusion terms are included in this display for C16.1. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Excludes 2

Official
  • gastrointestinal stromal tumors (C49.A-)Inherited from C15-C26, C16
  • malignant carcinoid tumor of the stomach (C7A.092)Inherited from C15-C26, C16

Includes

Official

No Includes notes are included in this display for C16.1. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Excludes 1

Official
  • Kaposi's sarcoma of gastrointestinal sites (C46.4)Inherited from C15-C26

Code First

Official

No Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for C16.1. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Use Additional

Official
  • code to identify:Inherited from C16
  • alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)Inherited from C16

Code Also

Official

No Code Also instructions are included in this display for C16.1. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation confirming fundus as the primary tumor location (upper dome of stomach)
Histological type (adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, lymphoma, etc.)
Stage of disease with depth of invasion
Current treatment status

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation confirming fundus as the primary tumor location (upper dome of stomach)
Histological type (adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, lymphoma, etc.)
Stage of disease with depth of invasion
Current treatment status

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Confusing fundus with cardia — the fundus is anatomically superior to the cardia, not at the junction
Using C16.9 (unspecified) when endoscopy or imaging clearly documents fundal location
Coding a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the fundus using C16.1 without also considering morphology codes

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C16.0 — Cardia: the cardia is at the gastroesophageal junction; the fundus is the dome above the cardia
C16.2 — Body of stomach: the body is the central portion below the fundus; confirm anatomical documentation
C16.8 — Overlapping sites: use when tumor involves fundus plus another gastric region

Current with CMS: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr 1 update (effective Apr 1 – Sep 30, 2026) · CMS-HCC V28, 100% phased in for payment year 2026. FY2027 code set already staged for October 1, 2026. How HCC Buddy stays current →

Is C16.1 an HCC code?

Yes. C16.1 (Malignant neoplasm of fundus of stomach) maps to HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 1.136. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C16.1 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code
C16.1
Description
Malignant neoplasm of fundus of stomach
HCC (V28)
HCC 20 — Lung and Other Severe Cancers
RAF reference coefficient
1.136
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers
1.136
ESRDHCC 9, Lung and Other Severe Cancers
Not separately weighted
RxHCCHCC 22, Prostate, Breast, Bladder, and Other Cancers and Tumors
Not separately weighted

These are source-labeled model coefficients, not member totals. A category may still be removed by hierarchy or model cleanup rules. Weights are not directly comparable across models: CMS-HCC V28 and V24 use Community, Non-Dual, Aged; ESRD uses the dialysis continuing-enrollee model; RxHCC is the Part D continuing-enrollee, non-low-income, aged weight (a larger scale than CMS-HCC). ACA/HHS has no single weight — it varies by metal level. Actual per-patient RAF contribution depends on member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains available for historical review.

Work C16.1 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT review for C16.1

For C16.1, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule.

  • 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

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C16.1 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of fundus of stomach. Cancer of the fundus, which is the upper curved portion of the stomach. C16.1 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering malignant neoplasms of digestive organs (c15-c26).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C16.1 maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers (HCC 20) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 1.136. For CY2026 non-PACE Medicare Advantage, CMS uses 100% of the 2024 CMS-HCC model (V28). PACE uses a separate model blend. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

The fundus is the uppermost part of the stomach body; ensure it is not confused with the cardia. For C16.1, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule. 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, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for C16.1 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • The fundus is the uppermost part of the stomach body; ensure it is not confused with the cardia
  • Document should specify fundus location to differentiate from other stomach regions

Clinical Significance

Malignant neoplasm of the gastric fundus is a cancer in the upper dome-shaped portion of the stomach, which can be particularly challenging to detect early due to its location. Fundal cancers may grow to significant size before causing symptoms, often presenting at advanced stages. This anatomical specificity is important for surgical planning and affects prognosis, as fundal tumors may require different operative approaches than cancers in other gastric regions.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation confirming fundus as the primary tumor location (upper dome of stomach)
  • Histological type (adenocarcinoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, lymphoma, etc.)
  • Stage of disease with depth of invasion
  • Current treatment status
  • Distinction from cardia (C16.0) and body (C16.2) involvement

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C16.0: Cardia: the cardia is at the gastroesophageal junction; the fundus is the dome above the cardia
  • C16.2: Body of stomach: the body is the central portion below the fundus; confirm anatomical documentation
  • C16.8: Overlapping sites: use when tumor involves fundus plus another gastric region

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Also searched as

  • C16 1
  • C161

For C16.1, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule.

C16.1 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. The mapping identifies a payment HCC category for C16.1. Review its source-labeled HCC coefficient above, check the RAF Calculator with complete member context for CMS-HCC V28 PY2026, and confirm the documentation the chart needs before the code is submitted. HCC Buddy shows no RAF score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

Work C16.1 in HCC Buddy

Open C16.1 in the Code Book for the full Index-to-Tabular path, MEAT checklist, and V28 HCC mapping, or in the Encoder to code from a keyword search. Pro includes 7 days to try everything, no card required.