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C81.93 ICD-10-CM Code: Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

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

C81.93

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

Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

Hodgkin lymphoma of unspecified type affecting lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Hodgkin lymphoma of unspecified type involving intra-abdominal lymph nodes captures an abdominal presentation without histologic subtype information.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 21

RAF 0.545

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 10

RAF 0.675

ACA/HHS

0

0

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

HCC 10

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

HCC 21

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official
C81Hodgkin lymphoma
C81.9Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified
C81.93Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C81.93 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C81.93 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
C81.90Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, unspecified site
C81.91Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
C81.92Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intrathoracic lymph nodes
C81.94Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of axilla and upper limb
C81.95Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of inguinal region and lower limb

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C81.93 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C81.93 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C81.93 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C81.93 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C81.93 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Confirmed Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis
Imaging documenting intra-abdominal lymph node involvement
Distinction from intrapelvic and splenic involvement
Plan to determine histologic subtype from pathology

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Confirmed Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis
Imaging documenting intra-abdominal lymph node involvement
Distinction from intrapelvic and splenic involvement
Plan to determine histologic subtype from pathology

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Confusing intra-abdominal with intrapelvic lymph nodes
Including splenic involvement under intra-abdominal coding
Not updating the subtype code when pathology becomes available
Using unspecified site code when imaging clearly documents the abdominal location

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C81.96 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intrapelvic: abdominal nodes are above the pelvic brim
C81.97 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, spleen: splenic involvement is coded separately
C81.73 — Other Hodgkin lymphoma, intra-abdominal: use when pathology classifies the variant as 'other'

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is C81.93 an HCC code?

Yes. C81.93 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

V28HCC 21, Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.545
V24HCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.675
ESRDHCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000
RxHCCHCC 21, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers
0.000

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 C81.93

For C81.93to 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 C81.93 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

C81.93 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes. Hodgkin lymphoma of unspecified type affecting lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity. C81.93 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, C81.93 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, C81.93 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.

Ensure documentation specifies intra-abdominal lymph nodes, not solid organ involvement. Because C81.93 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 C81.93 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Ensure documentation specifies intra-abdominal lymph nodes, not solid organ involvement
  • If spleen is involved, consider whether C81.77 might be more appropriate

Clinical Significance

Hodgkin lymphoma of unspecified type involving intra-abdominal lymph nodes captures an abdominal presentation without histologic subtype information. Infradiaphragmatic Hodgkin lymphoma is less common than supradiaphragmatic and may present with nonspecific abdominal symptoms. The site specificity is documented but the histologic subtype requires pathology review for classification.

Documentation Requirements

  • Confirmed Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis
  • Imaging documenting intra-abdominal lymph node involvement
  • Distinction from intrapelvic and splenic involvement
  • Plan to determine histologic subtype from pathology
  • Encounter-specific provider assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C81.96 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, intrapelvic: abdominal nodes are above the pelvic brim
  • C81.97 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, spleen: splenic involvement is coded separately
  • C81.73 — Other Hodgkin lymphoma, intra-abdominal: use when pathology classifies the variant as 'other'

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

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