C83.08
BillableSmall cell B-cell lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C83.08 an HCC code?
Yes. C83.08 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 C83.08
For C83.08 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 C83.08 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C83.08 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for small cell b-cell lymphoma, lymph nodes of multiple sites. A type of cancer affecting B-cells in multiple lymph node groups throughout the body. C83.08 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, C83.08 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, C83.08 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.
Use this code only when lymph nodes in multiple sites are involved; document which specific sites are affected. Because C83.08 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 C83.08 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 sites are involved; document which specific sites are affected
- •Distinguish from single-site involvement which would use different codes
Clinical Significance
Small cell B-cell lymphoma involving lymph nodes at multiple sites indicates more advanced disease, typically Stage III or IV. Multi-site involvement requires comprehensive staging with PET/CT and has implications for treatment intensity, as it typically indicates systemic rather than localized disease requiring systemic therapy.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Pathology-confirmed small cell B-cell lymphoma
- ✓Documentation of at least two distinct lymph node regions involved
- ✓Specific lymph node groups enumerated in clinical notes or imaging reports
- ✓PET/CT or CT staging documenting all sites of involvement
- ✓Ann Arbor staging reflecting multi-site disease (typically Stage III or IV)
Commonly Confused Codes
- •C83.00 — Unspecified site; use C83.08 when multiple specific sites are documented, not when the site is unknown
- •C83.09 — Extranodal/solid organ sites; C83.08 is for nodal disease in multiple regions, not organ involvement
- •Site-specific codes C83.01-C83.06 — Use these when only one specific region is involved; C83.08 requires two or more