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C17.1 ICD-10-CM Code: Malignant neoplasm of jejunum

C17.1 maps to CMS-HCC V28 20 (RAF 1.136). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · free HCC coding tools

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

C17.1

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

Malignant neoplasm of jejunum

Cancer that develops in the jejunum, which is the middle section of the small intestine.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Malignant neoplasm of the jejunum is rare, representing a small fraction of all gastrointestinal cancers.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 20

RAF 1.136

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 9

RAF 1.024

ACA/HHS

HCC 9

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 9

RAF 0.181

RXHCC

HCC 22

RAF 0.124

Code Book Path

Official
C17Malignant neoplasm of small intestine
C17.1Malignant neoplasm of jejunum

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C17.1 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C17.1 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
C17.0Malignant neoplasm of duodenum
C17.2Malignant neoplasm of ileum
C17.3Meckel's diverticulum, malignant
C17.8Malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of small intestine
C17.9Malignant neoplasm of small intestine, unspecified

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C17.1 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official
  • malignant carcinoid tumors of the small intestine (C7A.01)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C17.1 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C17.1 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C17.1 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation confirming jejunum as the primary tumor location
Histological type (adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, neuroendocrine)
Confirmation of primary versus metastatic disease
Any predisposing conditions (Crohn disease, celiac disease, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation confirming jejunum as the primary tumor location
Histological type (adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, neuroendocrine)
Confirmation of primary versus metastatic disease
Any predisposing conditions (Crohn disease, celiac disease, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Defaulting to C17.9 when the specific small intestine segment is identifiable from operative or pathology reports
Coding small bowel lymphoma as C17.1 instead of the appropriate lymphoma code
Failing to verify whether the tumor is primary jejunal or metastatic from another site

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C17.0 — Duodenum: the duodenum is the first segment; the jejunum begins at the ligament of Treitz
C17.2 — Ileum: the ileum is the distal segment; boundaries between jejunum and ileum may be unclear on imaging
C17.9 — Small intestine, unspecified: use C17.1 when jejunum is specifically documented
C83.- — Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: primary intestinal lymphoma may present in the jejunum but is coded to lymphoma categories

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 C17.1 an HCC code?

Yes. C17.1 (Malignant neoplasm of jejunum) maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Lung and Other Severe Cancers under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 1.136. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C17.1 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
C17.1
Description
Malignant neoplasm of jejunum
HCC (V28)
HCC 20 — Lung and Other Severe Cancers
RAF
1.136
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers
1.136
V24HCC 9, Lung and Other Severe Cancers
1.024
ESRDHCC 9, Lung and Other Severe Cancers
0.181
RxHCCHCC 22, Cancer, Other Specified Sites
0.124

Each model's RAF is its CMS base weight for that model's standard population, so 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 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.

Work C17.1 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C17.1

For C17.1 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 C17.1 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C17.1 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of jejunum. Cancer that develops in the jejunum, which is the middle section of the small intestine. C17.1 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, C17.1 maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers (HCC 20) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 1.136. Under the older V24 model, C17.1 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 1.024, 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.

Small intestine cancers are rare; ensure histological type is documented (adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, etc.). Because C17.1 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 C17.1 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Small intestine cancers are rare; ensure histological type is documented (adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, etc.)
  • Verify this is not a metastatic lesion from another primary site

Clinical Significance

Malignant neoplasm of the jejunum is rare, representing a small fraction of all gastrointestinal cancers. The jejunum is the middle segment of the small intestine, and cancers here are often diagnosed late due to vague, nonspecific symptoms. Despite their rarity, jejunal cancers carry significant morbidity and require surgical resection, making accurate coding important for reflecting the true resource needs of these patients.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation confirming jejunum as the primary tumor location
  • Histological type (adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, lymphoma, neuroendocrine)
  • Confirmation of primary versus metastatic disease
  • Any predisposing conditions (Crohn disease, celiac disease, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome)
  • Stage of disease and surgical findings

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C17.0: Duodenum: the duodenum is the first segment; the jejunum begins at the ligament of Treitz
  • C17.2: Ileum: the ileum is the distal segment; boundaries between jejunum and ileum may be unclear on imaging
  • C17.9: Small intestine, unspecified: use C17.1 when jejunum is specifically documented
  • C83.-: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: primary intestinal lymphoma may present in the jejunum but is coded to lymphoma categories

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because C17.1 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

C17.1 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. Because C17.1 carries a payment HCC, you can see what it adds to a RAF score and check the documentation the chart needs before it is submitted.

Work C17.1 in HCC Buddy

Open C17.1 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.