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C43.39 ICD-10-CM Code: Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

C43.39 maps to CMS-HCC V28 23. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC Buddy coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

Code lookupC43.39

FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin (C43-C44)

C43.39

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

Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

A type of skin cancer (melanoma) that starts on other parts of the face, such as the cheeks, forehead, lips, or chin.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Malignant melanoma of other parts of the face, including cheek, forehead, temple, and chin.

OverviewRisk ModelsCode BookDocumentationAuditNotesEdition comparison

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 23

Coefficient HCC 23: 0.186 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Historical

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

HCC 013

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

HCC 12

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

HCC 22

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official
C43Malignant melanoma of skinC43.3Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of faceC43.39Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

Inclusion Terms

Official

No inclusion terms are included in this display for C43.39. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Excludes 2

Official
  • malignant melanoma of skin of genital organs (C51-C52, C60.-, C63.-)Inherited from C43
  • Merkel cell carcinoma (C4A.-)Inherited from C43
  • sites other than skin-code to malignant neoplasm of the siteInherited from C43

Related Codes

Official
C43.30Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of faceC43.31Malignant melanoma of nose

Includes

Official

No Includes notes are included in this display for C43.39. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Excludes 1

Official
  • melanoma in situ (D03.-)Inherited from C43

Code First

Official

No Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for C43.39. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Use Additional

Official

No Use Additional Code instructions are included in this display for C43.39. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Code Also

Official

No Code Also instructions are included in this display for C43.39. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Specific facial location documented (cheek, forehead, temple, chin, etc.)
Breslow depth and Clark level
Ulceration status and mitotic rate
Sentinel lymph node biopsy results

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Specific facial location documented (cheek, forehead, temple, chin, etc.)
Breslow depth and Clark level
Ulceration status and mitotic rate
Sentinel lymph node biopsy results

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Using the unspecified face code (C43.30) when a specific facial site is documented but does not have its own code
Coding melanoma of the lip (C43.0), nose (C43.31), or eyelid (C43.1x) as other face (C43.39) — these have more specific codes
Confusing melanoma in situ with invasive melanoma
Not documenting the specific facial subsite which aids in treatment planning and surveillance

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C43.31 — Melanoma of nose; nose has its own specific code
C43.0 — Melanoma of lip; lip has its own specific code
C43.10-C43.122 — Melanoma of eyelid; eyelid has its own specific codes
C43.30 — Melanoma of unspecified part of face; less specific, use C43.39 when a specific non-nose facial site is documented

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 C43.39 an HCC code?

Yes. C43.39 (Malignant melanoma of other parts of face) maps to HCC 23, Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.186. 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: C43.39 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 23, Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code
C43.39
Description
Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
HCC (V28)
HCC 23 — Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors
RAF reference coefficient
0.186
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 23, Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.186
ESRDHCC 12, Breast/Prostate/and Other Cancers and Tumors
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 C43.39 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT review for C43.39

For C43.39, 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

C43.39 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant melanoma of other parts of face. A type of skin cancer (melanoma) that starts on other parts of the face, such as the cheeks, forehead, lips, or chin. C43.39 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering melanoma and other malignant neoplasms of skin (c43-c44).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C43.39 maps to Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors (HCC 23) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.186. No V24 mapping is shown for C43.39; use the applicable model and payment year when reviewing the V28 mapping. 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.

Use this code for facial melanomas that are not on the nose (which would be C43.31). For C43.39, 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 C43.39 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • •Use this code for facial melanomas that are not on the nose (which would be C43.31)
  • •Consider documenting the specific facial location in the medical record for clarity, even though this is a catch-all code

Clinical Significance

Malignant melanoma of other parts of the face, including cheek, forehead, temple, and chin. This code captures facial melanomas at sites other than the lip, eyelid, ear, or nose, which have their own specific codes. Facial melanomas require careful surgical planning to balance oncologic adequacy with cosmetic and functional outcomes.

Documentation Requirements

  • ✓Specific facial location documented (cheek, forehead, temple, chin, etc.)
  • ✓Breslow depth and Clark level
  • ✓Ulceration status and mitotic rate
  • ✓Sentinel lymph node biopsy results
  • ✓AJCC staging
  • ✓Surgical margins and reconstruction plan

Commonly Confused Codes

  • •C43.31: Melanoma of nose; nose has its own specific code
  • •C43.0: Melanoma of lip; lip has its own specific code
  • •C43.10-C43.122: Melanoma of eyelid; eyelid has its own specific codes
  • •C43.30: Melanoma of unspecified part of face; less specific, use C43.39 when a specific non-nose facial site is documented

Child Codes

C43.30Malignant melanoma of unspecified part of face
HCC 23
C43.31Malignant melanoma of nose
HCC 23
C43.39Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
HCC 23

Code Hierarchy

└C43Malignant melanoma of skin└C43.3Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face└C43.39Malignant melanoma of other parts of face
└C43.39Malignant melanoma of other parts of face

Also searched as

  • C43 39
  • C4339

For C43.39, 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.

C43.39 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 23, Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. The mapping identifies a payment HCC category for C43.39. 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 C43.39 in HCC Buddy

Open C43.39 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.

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