C82.23
BillableFollicular lymphoma grade III, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C82.23 an HCC code?
Yes. C82.23 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 C82.23
For C82.23 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 C82.23 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C82.23 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for follicular lymphoma grade iii, unspecified, intra-abdominal lymph nodes. A type of slow-growing blood cancer (follicular lymphoma) that is grade III and located in the lymph nodes inside the abdominal cavity. C82.23 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, C82.23 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, C82.23 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.
Intra-abdominal lymph nodes include mesenteric, retroperitoneal, and other abdominal nodes. Because C82.23 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 C82.23 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Intra-abdominal lymph nodes include mesenteric, retroperitoneal, and other abdominal nodes
- •Imaging studies (CT or PET scan) should document the specific abdominal lymph node involvement
Clinical Significance
Follicular lymphoma grade III unspecified in intra-abdominal lymph nodes indicates high-grade disease in the mesenteric, retroperitoneal, or para-aortic chains. Grade III abdominal disease may present with abdominal pain, early satiety, or bowel symptoms and typically requires treatment rather than observation. This is a more aggressive clinical scenario than low-grade abdominal disease.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming grade III follicular lymphoma
- ✓Cross-sectional imaging with specific abdominal node measurements
- ✓Assessment for GI complications (obstruction, perforation risk)
- ✓Query for IIIa vs. IIIb specification
- ✓Treatment plan reflecting grade III aggressiveness
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C82.13 — Grade II, intra-abdominal; lower grade with different management approach
- •C82.33 — Grade IIIa, intra-abdominal; use when pathology specifies centrocytes present
- •C82.43 — Grade IIIb, intra-abdominal; use for centroblast-only pattern
- •C82.26 — Grade III, intrapelvic; distinguish above-pelvis abdominal from pelvic nodes