C7B.02
BillableSecondary carcinoid tumors of liver
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C7B.02 an HCC code?
Yes. C7B.02 maps to Cancer Metastatic to Lung, Liver, Brain, and Other Organs; Acute Myeloid Leukemia Except Promyelocytic under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Metastatic Cancer and Acute Leukemia 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 C7B.02
For C7B.02to 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 C7B.02 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C7B.02 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for secondary carcinoid tumors of liver. This code describes cancer that started in another part of the body (such as the small intestine or lungs) and has spread to the liver. These are slow-growing neuroendocrine tumors that have metastasized to the liver from their original location. C7B.02 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering secondary neuroendocrine tumors (c7b).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C7B.02 maps to Cancer Metastatic to Lung, Liver, Brain, and Other Organs; Acute Myeloid Leukemia Except Promyelocytic (HCC 17) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 4.209. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, C7B.02 maps to Metastatic Cancer and Acute Leukemia (HCC 8) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 2.659. 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.
Always code the primary carcinoid tumor site first, then use C7B.02 as a secondary diagnosis to indicate liver metastasis. Because C7B.02 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 C7B.02 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Always code the primary carcinoid tumor site first, then use C7B.02 as a secondary diagnosis to indicate liver metastasis
- •Verify documentation specifies that the liver tumors are secondary (metastatic) rather than primary liver carcinoid, as primary carcinoid of liver uses a different code (C7A.091)
Clinical Significance
Secondary carcinoid tumors of the liver represents carcinoid cancer that has metastasized to the liver, the most common site of carcinoid metastasis. Hepatic carcinoid metastases are particularly significant because the liver metabolizes serotonin; when carcinoid bypasses hepatic first-pass metabolism or overwhelms liver capacity, carcinoid syndrome develops. Liver metastases also open treatment options including hepatic artery embolization, ablation, and liver-directed therapies.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging (CT, MRI) or pathology confirming hepatic metastases of carcinoid origin
- ✓Primary carcinoid tumor site documented and coded separately (C7A codes)
- ✓Distinction from primary hepatic carcinoid (extremely rare) versus metastatic disease
- ✓Extent of liver involvement (number and size of lesions, liver replacement percentage)
- ✓Presence or absence of carcinoid syndrome
- ✓Treatment plan including any liver-directed therapies
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C22.0-C22.9 — Malignant neoplasm of liver: Use for primary liver cancers (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma); C7B.02 is for metastatic carcinoid to the liver
- •C78.7 — Secondary malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile duct: Use for non-carcinoid cancer metastatic to the liver
- •C7B.00 — Secondary carcinoid tumors, unspecified site: Use C7B.02 when the liver is specifically documented as the metastatic site