C82.28 ICD-10-CM Code: Follicular lymphoma grade III, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites
C82.28 maps to CMS-HCC V28 21 (RAF 0.671). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software
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)
C82.28
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceFollicular lymphoma grade III, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites
A type of blood cancer (follicular lymphoma) affecting multiple lymph node sites throughout the body. This is an advanced grade (grade III) of the disease.
Buddy Insight
Follicular lymphoma grade III unspecified involving multiple lymph node sites indicates disseminated high-grade disease.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 21
RAF 0.671
CMS-HCC V24
MappedHCC 10
RAF 0.675
ACA/HHS
MappedHCC 10
Varies by metal level
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 10
RAF 0.111
RXHCC
MappedHCC 21
RAF 0.410
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C82.28 in this effective period.
Excludes 2
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C82.28 in this effective period.
Related Child Codes
Includes
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C82.28 in this effective period.
Excludes 1
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C82.28 in this effective period.
Code First
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C82.28 in this effective period.
Use Additional
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C82.28 in this effective period.
Code Also
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C82.28 in this effective period.
Buddy Documentation Tip
MEAT Support
Audit Caution
Common Mistakes
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 C82.28 an HCC code?
Yes. C82.28 (Follicular lymphoma grade III, unspecified, 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: C82.28 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
- C82.28
- Description
- Follicular lymphoma grade III, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites
- HCC (V28)
- HCC 21 — Lymphoma and Other Cancers
- RAF
- 0.671
- Billable
- Yes
- Payment year
- 2026
HCC Category Mapping
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 C82.28 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →
MEAT Criteria for C82.28
For C82.28 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 C82.28 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
Coder workflow notes
Get the V28 RAF + MEAT cheat sheet
One printable page: confirm a code's V28 HCC status, its RAF weight, and the MEAT your note needs to make it stick. Free, no card.
Free PDF. No card. Unsubscribe anytime.
What This Code Means
C82.28 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for follicular lymphoma grade iii, unspecified, lymph nodes of multiple sites. A type of blood cancer (follicular lymphoma) affecting multiple lymph node sites throughout the body. This is an advanced grade (grade III) of the disease. C82.28 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, C82.28 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, C82.28 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.
Use this code only when lymph nodes in multiple anatomical regions are involved. Because C82.28 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 C82.28 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Use this code only when lymph nodes in multiple anatomical regions are involved
- •Document which specific regions are affected for clinical clarity
Clinical Significance
Follicular lymphoma grade III unspecified involving multiple lymph node sites indicates disseminated high-grade disease. Grade III with widespread involvement is managed aggressively with chemoimmunotherapy regimens such as R-CHOP or R-CVP. This presentation carries a higher risk of transformation and requires close surveillance.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology confirming grade III follicular lymphoma
- ✓PET/CT documenting all involved lymph node regions
- ✓List of all involved anatomic sites
- ✓FLIPI score and performance status
- ✓Query for IIIa vs. IIIb subtype from pathology
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C82.21-C82.27: Single-site grade III codes; use C82.28 only for multi-regional involvement
- •C82.29: Extranodal sites; for organ involvement, not multi-site nodal disease
- •C82.18: Grade II, multiple sites; verify grade before selecting
- •C83.38: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, multiple sites; distinct entity requiring different coding