C82.01 ICD-10-CM Code: Follicular lymphoma grade I, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
HCC Buddy Code Card
Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.
FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (C81-C96)
C82.01
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceFollicular lymphoma grade I, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
A slow-growing type of lymphoma called follicular lymphoma grade I located in the lymph nodes of the head, face, or neck region.

Buddy Insight
Follicular lymphoma grade I involving head, face, and neck lymph nodes represents a low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma with an indolent clinical course.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 21
RAF 0.545
CMS-HCC V24
MappedHCC 10
RAF 0.675
ACA/HHS
00
RAF 0
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 10
RAF 0.0
RXHCC
MappedHCC 21
RAF 0.0
Code Trumping
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Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C82.01 in this effective period.
Excludes 2
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C82.01 in this effective period.
Related Child Codes
Includes
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C82.01 in this effective period.
Excludes 1
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C82.01 in this effective period.
Code First
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C82.01 in this effective period.
Use Additional
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C82.01 in this effective period.
Code Also
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C82.01 in this effective period.
Buddy Documentation Tip
MEAT Support
Audit Caution
Common Mistakes
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 C82.01 an HCC code?
Yes. C82.01 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 C82.01
For C82.01to 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 C82.01 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C82.01 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for follicular lymphoma grade i, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck. A slow-growing type of lymphoma called follicular lymphoma grade I located in the lymph nodes of the head, face, or neck region. C82.01 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, C82.01 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, C82.01 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.
Verify documentation specifies involvement of head, face, or neck lymph nodes. Because C82.01 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 C82.01 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Verify documentation specifies involvement of head, face, or neck lymph nodes
- •Grade I indicates the lowest histologic grade with best prognosis
Clinical Significance
Follicular lymphoma grade I involving head, face, and neck lymph nodes represents a low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma with an indolent clinical course. This site-specific code captures the anatomic distribution critical for staging (Ann Arbor) and treatment planning. Accurate capture ensures appropriate risk adjustment for ongoing oncologic surveillance and management costs.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology report confirming follicular lymphoma with histologic grade I (0-5 centroblasts per high-power field)
- ✓Specific lymph node sites involved (cervical, submandibular, preauricular, occipital, etc.)
- ✓Ann Arbor staging with Lugano modifications
- ✓Current treatment status (watchful waiting, immunotherapy, chemoimmunotherapy)
- ✓Documentation that disease is NOT in remission (use C82.0A if in remission)
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C82.11 — Follicular lymphoma grade II of head/face/neck; grade II has 6-15 centroblasts per HPF vs. grade I with 0-5; verify pathology report grade
- •C85.11 — Unspecified non-Hodgkin lymphoma of head/face/neck; use only when follicular subtype is not confirmed by pathology
- •C82.08 — Follicular lymphoma grade I, multiple sites; use C82.01 when head/face/neck is the sole or primary site, not when multiple regions are involved
- •C82.0A — Follicular lymphoma grade I in remission; do not use C82.01 if provider documents complete or partial remission