C81.13
BillableNodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, intra-abdominal lymph nodes
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C81.13 an HCC code?
Yes. C81.13 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Lymphoma and Other Cancers 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 C81.13
For C81.13 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 C81.13 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C81.13 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for nodular sclerosis hodgkin lymphoma, intra-abdominal lymph nodes. A type of Hodgkin lymphoma (blood cancer) with nodular sclerosis pattern that has spread to lymph nodes in the abdomen. C81.13 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49), within the section covering malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (c81-c96).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, C81.13 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors (HCC 21) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.545. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, C81.13 maps to Lymphoma and Other Cancers (HCC 10) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.675. 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.
The fifth character '3' specifically indicates intra-abdominal lymph node involvement; ensure imaging or pathology confirms abdominal location. Because C81.13 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 C81.13 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •The fifth character '3' specifically indicates intra-abdominal lymph node involvement; ensure imaging or pathology confirms abdominal location
- •This code requires a seventh character for remission status (A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter, S for sequela)
Clinical Significance
Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma of intra-abdominal lymph nodes indicates disease affecting mesenteric, retroperitoneal, or para-aortic lymph nodes in the abdomen. Abdominal involvement is less common than cervical or mediastinal disease in nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma and typically indicates Stage III or higher disease requiring systemic chemotherapy. Infradiaphragmatic-only presentation is uncommon and warrants careful staging.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming nodular sclerosis subtype
- ✓Cross-sectional imaging documenting specific abdominal lymph node groups
- ✓Assessment of whether abdominal disease is isolated or combined with supradiaphragmatic disease
- ✓Ann Arbor staging reflecting abdominal involvement
- ✓Treatment plan appropriate for advanced stage disease
- ✓B-symptoms assessment