C82.61
BillableCutaneous follicle center lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C82.61 an HCC code?
Yes. C82.61 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 C82.61
For C82.61 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 C82.61 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C82.61 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cutaneous follicle center lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck. A type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma affecting the skin and follicle center cells in the lymph nodes of the head, face, and neck area. C82.61 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, C82.61 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, C82.61 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.
Confirm documentation specifies head, face, and/or neck lymph node involvement. Because C82.61 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 C82.61 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm documentation specifies head, face, and/or neck lymph node involvement
- •Distinguish from cutaneous involvement without lymph node involvement
Clinical Significance
Cutaneous follicle center lymphoma involving head, face, and neck lymph nodes indicates that this primary skin lymphoma has extended to involve regional lymph nodes, suggesting a more advanced presentation than skin-limited disease. Head and neck is the most common presentation site for this lymphoma subtype. Despite nodal involvement, cutaneous follicle center lymphoma generally maintains a favorable prognosis compared to systemic follicular lymphomas.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Skin biopsy confirming cutaneous follicle center lymphoma
- ✓Documentation of head, face, or neck lymph node involvement with imaging or physical exam
- ✓Description of primary skin lesion location and characteristics
- ✓Staging evaluation documenting extent of nodal and cutaneous disease
- ✓Assessment of whether nodal involvement is regional drainage vs. distant spread
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C82.51 — Diffuse follicle center lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck: Systemic diffuse follicle center lymphoma is a different entity from primary cutaneous type
- •C82.81 — Other types of follicular lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck: Use C82.61 when cutaneous origin is confirmed
- •C82.91 — Follicular lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck: More specific cutaneous type code should be used when available