What is ICD-10 code C74.10?

C74.10 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland. Cancer that develops in the inner portion (medulla) of an adrenal gland, but it is unclear which side (left or right) is affected. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49). C74.10 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. C74.10 is part of the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code set published by the CMS National Center for Health Statistics and used on Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims in the United States.

Yes. C74.10 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. C74.10 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.

Which HCC does C74.10 map to under V28?

C74.10 maps to CMS-HCC V28 HCC 22 (Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers). The category numbers, labels, and conditions come from the CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026.

What documentation supports C74.10?

This unspecified laterality code should only be used when documentation does not clearly indicate left or right; query provider for clarification when possible Pheochromocytoma is the typical malignancy of the adrenal medulla; confirm histological diagnosis in pathology report Because C74.10 maps to an HCC category, the documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment. See the MEAT criteria checklist at /meat-criteria for what Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat looks like in a note. MEAT is generic documentation evidence, not a payer-specific rule.

2026 ICD-10-CM C74.10: Malignant neoplasm

C74.10 maps to CMS-HCC V28 22. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupC74.10Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands (C73-C75)

C74.10

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

Malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland

Cancer that develops in the inner portion (medulla) of an adrenal gland, but it is unclear which side (left or right) is affected.

Buddy Insight

Malignant neoplasm of the medulla of an unspecified adrenal gland represents malignant pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma arising from the inner adrenal compartment without laterality documentation.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 22

Bladder, Colorectal, and Othe...

Code-level coefficient reference

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Not used for standard CY2026 Medicare Advantage payment. Select a historical period to review V24.

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

ESRD/PACE

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 22

Prostate, Breast, Bladder, an...

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official

C74Malignant neoplasm of adrenal gland

C74.1Malignant neoplasm of medulla of adrenal gland

C74.10Malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C74.10 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C74.10 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

C74.11Malignant neoplasm of medulla of right adrenal gland

C74.12Malignant neoplasm of medulla of left adrenal gland

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C74.10 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C74.10 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C74.10 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C74.10 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C74.10 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirming malignancy of the adrenal medulla (malignant pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma)

Laterality — query provider for right (C74.11) or left (C74.12) specification

Catecholamine and metanephrine levels (plasma and/or urine)

Documentation confirming medulla (not cortex) as tissue of origin

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirming malignancy of the adrenal medulla (malignant pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma)

Laterality — query provider for right (C74.11) or left (C74.12) specification

Catecholamine and metanephrine levels (plasma and/or urine)

Documentation confirming medulla (not cortex) as tissue of origin

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Coding benign pheochromocytoma as malignant — malignancy in pheochromocytoma is defined by metastatic disease, not histology

Confusing medulla (C74.1x) and cortex (C74.0x) codes — verify tissue of origin

Not querying for laterality when imaging clearly identifies the affected side

Failing to code associated hypertensive crisis or catecholamine excess separately when documented

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

C74.11/C74.12 — Right/left adrenal medulla: Use lateralized codes when side is documented

C74.00-C74.02 — Adrenal cortex malignancy: Different compartment — medulla vs. cortex

D35.00 — Benign neoplasm of adrenal gland: Benign pheochromocytomas are more common than malignant ones

E27.5 — Adrenomedullary hyperfunction: Functional condition, not neoplastic

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 C74.10 an HCC code?

Yes. C74.10 (Malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland) maps to HCC 22, Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.363. 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: C74.10 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 22, Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: C74.10
Description: Malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland
HCC (V28): HCC 22 — Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers
RAF reference coefficient: 0.363
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 22, Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers

0.363

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 C74.10 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C74.10

For C74.10 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 C74.10 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C74.10 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of medulla of unspecified adrenal gland. Cancer that develops in the inner portion (medulla) of an adrenal gland, but it is unclear which side (left or right) is affected. C74.10 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands (c73-c75).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C74.10 maps to Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers (HCC 22) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.363. No V24 mapping is shown for C74.10; use the applicable model and payment year when reviewing the V28 mapping. 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. 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.

This unspecified laterality code should only be used when documentation does not clearly indicate left or right; query provider for clarification when possible. Because C74.10 maps to an HCC category, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment. 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 C74.10 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•This unspecified laterality code should only be used when documentation does not clearly indicate left or right; query provider for clarification when possible
•Pheochromocytoma is the typical malignancy of the adrenal medulla; confirm histological diagnosis in pathology report

Clinical Significance

Malignant neoplasm of the medulla of an unspecified adrenal gland represents malignant pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma arising from the inner adrenal compartment without laterality documentation. Adrenal medullary malignancies can cause life-threatening catecholamine crises. The unspecified laterality should prompt a query to the provider.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology confirming malignancy of the adrenal medulla (malignant pheochromocytoma or neuroblastoma)
✓Laterality — query provider for right (C74.11) or left (C74.12) specification
✓Catecholamine and metanephrine levels (plasma and/or urine)
✓Documentation confirming medulla (not cortex) as tissue of origin
✓Staging information and any evidence of metastatic disease

Commonly Confused Codes

•C74.11/C74.12: Right/left adrenal medulla: Use lateralized codes when side is documented
•C74.00-C74.02: Adrenal cortex malignancy: Different compartment: medulla vs. cortex
•D35.00: Benign neoplasm of adrenal gland: Benign pheochromocytomas are more common than malignant ones
•E27.5: Adrenomedullary hyperfunction: Functional condition, not neoplastic
•C74.90: Unspecified part of unspecified adrenal gland: Use C74.10 when medulla is specified