What is ICD-10 code C81.48?

C81.48 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49). C81.48 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. C81.48 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. C81.48 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. C81.48 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 C81.48 map to under V28?

C81.48 maps to CMS-HCC V28 21 (Lymphoma and Other Cancers). The category number and label come from the CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026.

What does C81.48 pay in RAF?

C81.48 carries a community, non-dual, aged (CNA) RAF weight of 0.671 under CMS-HCC V28 for payment year 2026. The weight comes from the CMS V28 relative-factor file, not a hand-typed table.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for C81.48?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. For C81.48, V28 maps to Lymphoma and Other Cancers at RAF 0.671 while V24 mapped to Lymphoma and Other Cancers at RAF 0.675. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What documentation supports C81.48?

The '48' extension indicates multiple lymph node sites are involved; ensure documentation specifies involvement of lymph nodes at different anatomical regions (e.g., cervical, axillary, mediastinal, abdominal) to justify this code rather than single-site codes (C81.41-C81.47) This code requires confirmation of both the histological subtype (lymphocyte-rich) and the extent of disease; coordinate with pathology reports and staging documentation to ensure accurate code selection and avoid confusion with other Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes Because C81.48 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. 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 C81.48: Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin

C81.48 maps to CMS-HCC V28 21 (RAF 0.671). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · free HCC coding tools

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Code lookupC81.48Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (C81-C96)

C81.48

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

Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites

This is a type of Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the lymph system) where lymphocytes are the predominant cell type, and the cancer is present in lymph nodes at multiple locations throughout the body. It represents a less common subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma with a generally favorable prognosis.

Buddy Insight

Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma involving multiple lymph node sites indicates disseminated disease within a favorable-prognosis subtype.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 21

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.671

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.675

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 12

HHS-HCC 12

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.111

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 21

Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Ca...

RAF 0.410

Code Book Path

Official

C81Hodgkin lymphoma

C81.4Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma

C81.48Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites

Inclusion Terms

Official

Lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C81.48 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

C81.40Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified site

C81.41Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

C81.42Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes

C81.43Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

C81.44Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of axilla and upper limb

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C81.48 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (C81.0-)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C81.48 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C81.48 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C81.48 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirming lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Imaging documenting at least two distinct lymph node regions with disease involvement

Identification of each specific nodal region in clinical documentation

Complete staging with Ann Arbor classification

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirming lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Imaging documenting at least two distinct lymph node regions with disease involvement

Identification of each specific nodal region in clinical documentation

Complete staging with Ann Arbor classification

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Assigning multiple individual site codes instead of the single C81.48 code for multi-site involvement

Using C81.48 when only one nodal region is affected — verify at least two distinct regions are documented

Defaulting to unspecified site when staging workup has identified specific involved regions

Not confirming the lymphocyte-rich subtype from pathology before coding

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

C81.41-C81.46 — Single-site lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma codes: use C81.48 only when two or more distinct nodal regions are involved

C81.49 — Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, extranodal: C81.48 covers multiple nodal sites; C81.49 covers organ involvement outside the lymph system

C81.40 — Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified: do not use unspecified when the multiple sites are 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 C81.48 an HCC code?

Yes. C81.48 (Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites) maps to Lymphoma and Other Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Lymphoma and Other Cancers under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.671. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C81.48 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 21, Lymphoma and Other Cancers. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: C81.48
Description: Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites
HCC (V28): HCC 21 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
RAF: 0.671
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 21, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.671

V24HCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.675

ESRDHCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.111

RxHCCHCC 21, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.410

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 C81.48 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C81.48

For C81.48 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 C81.48 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C81.48 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for lymphocyte-rich hodgkin lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites. This is a type of Hodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the lymph system) where lymphocytes are the predominant cell type, and the cancer is present in lymph nodes at multiple locations throughout the body. It represents a less common subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma with a generally favorable prognosis. C81.48 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, C81.48 maps to Lymphoma and Other Cancers (HCC 21) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.671. Under the older V24 model, C81.48 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.675, 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.

The '48' extension indicates multiple lymph node sites are involved; ensure documentation specifies involvement of lymph nodes at different anatomical regions (e.g., cervical, axillary, mediastinal, abdominal) to justify this code rather than single-site codes (C81.41-C81.47). Because C81.48 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 C81.48 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•The '48' extension indicates multiple lymph node sites are involved; ensure documentation specifies involvement of lymph nodes at different anatomical regions (e.g., cervical, axillary, mediastinal, abdominal) to justify this code rather than single-site codes (C81.41-C81.47)
•This code requires confirmation of both the histological subtype (lymphocyte-rich) and the extent of disease; coordinate with pathology reports and staging documentation to ensure accurate code selection and avoid confusion with other Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes

Clinical Significance

Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma involving multiple lymph node sites indicates disseminated disease within a favorable-prognosis subtype. Multi-site involvement requires comprehensive staging and may alter treatment intensity despite the generally good prognosis. The code captures disease affecting two or more distinct nodal regions, which typically corresponds to stage II or higher.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology confirming lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin lymphoma
✓Imaging documenting at least two distinct lymph node regions with disease involvement
✓Identification of each specific nodal region in clinical documentation
✓Complete staging with Ann Arbor classification
✓Treatment plan and encounter-specific assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

•C81.41-C81.46: Single-site lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma codes: use C81.48 only when two or more distinct nodal regions are involved
•C81.49: Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, extranodal: C81.48 covers multiple nodal sites; C81.49 covers organ involvement outside the lymph system
•C81.40: Lymphocyte-rich Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified: do not use unspecified when the multiple sites are documented