What is ICD-10 code C83.50?

C83.50 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site. A type of blood cancer affecting immature lymphoid cells (lymphoblasts) that is diffuse in nature, but the specific location of the cancer is not specified. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49). C83.50 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. C83.50 is part of the FY2026 ICD-10-CM code set published by the CMS National Center for Health Statistics and used on Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims in the United States.

Yes. C83.50 is a billable ICD-10-CM code that can be reported on professional and institutional claims as a primary or secondary diagnosis when the provider documentation supports the specific condition described. Billable codes in ICD-10-CM are coded to the highest level of specificity available for the documented diagnosis. C83.50 is current for fiscal year 2026 and remains in the active CMS ICD-10-CM code set published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Which HCC does C83.50 map to under V28?

C83.50 maps to CMS-HCC V28 20 (Lung and Other Severe Cancers). The category number and label come from the CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026.

What does C83.50 pay in RAF?

C83.50 carries a community, non-dual, aged (CNA) RAF weight of 1.136 under CMS-HCC V28 for payment year 2026. The weight comes from the CMS V28 relative-factor file, not a hand-typed table.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for C83.50?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. For C83.50, V28 maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers at RAF 1.136 while V24 mapped to Lymphoma and Other Cancers at RAF 0.675. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

2026 ICD-10-CM C83.50: Lymphoblastic (diffuse)

C83.50 maps to CMS-HCC V28 20 (RAF 1.136). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC Buddy coding tools

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupC83.50Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Neoplasms (C00-D49) / Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, hematopoietic and related tissue (C81-C96)

C83.50

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site

A type of blood cancer affecting immature lymphoid cells (lymphoblasts) that is diffuse in nature, but the specific location of the cancer is not specified.

Buddy Insight

Lymphoblastic lymphoma is a highly aggressive lymphoma of immature lymphoid precursor cells (lymphoblasts), closely related to acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 20

Lung and Other Severe Cancers

RAF 1.136

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.675

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 10

HHS-HCC 10

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.111

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 21

Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Ca...

RAF 0.410

Code Book Path

Official

C83Non-follicular lymphoma

C83.5Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma

C83.50Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site

Inclusion Terms

Official

B-precursor lymphoma
Lymphoblastic B-cell lymphoma
Lymphoblastic lymphoma NOS
Lymphoblastic T-cell lymphoma
T-precursor lymphoma

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C83.50 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

C83.51Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

C83.52Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes

C83.53Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

C83.54Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, lymph nodes of axilla and upper limb

C83.55Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, lymph nodes of inguinal region and lower limb

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C83.50 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C83.50 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C83.50 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C83.50 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C83.50 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirmation with immunohistochemistry (TdT+, CD99+)

Determination of T-cell vs. B-cell lineage (CD3 vs. CD19/CD20)

Flow cytometry results from involved tissue or peripheral blood

Bone marrow biopsy to distinguish lymphoma from leukemia (>25% blasts = leukemia)

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology confirmation with immunohistochemistry (TdT+, CD99+)

Determination of T-cell vs. B-cell lineage (CD3 vs. CD19/CD20)

Flow cytometry results from involved tissue or peripheral blood

Bone marrow biopsy to distinguish lymphoma from leukemia (>25% blasts = leukemia)

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Confusing lymphoblastic lymphoma with acute lymphoblastic leukemia; the 25% bone marrow blast threshold is the key distinction

Using unspecified site when imaging identifies the involved region

Not checking T-cell vs. B-cell lineage which impacts treatment protocol selection

Failing to evaluate CNS involvement which is common in lymphoblastic disease

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

C91.0- — Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; if bone marrow blasts exceed 25%, classify as leukemia rather than lymphoma

C83.30 — Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; mature B-cell lymphoma vs. immature precursor lymphoblastic lymphoma

C85.10 — Unspecified non-Hodgkin lymphoma; always use specific subtype when pathology confirms lymphoblastic lymphoma

C83.70 — Burkitt lymphoma; another highly aggressive lymphoma but with mature B-cell phenotype

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 C83.50 an HCC code?

Yes. C83.50 (Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site) maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Lymphoma and Other Cancers under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 1.136. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C83.50 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: C83.50
Description: Lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site
HCC (V28): HCC 20 — Lung and Other Severe Cancers
RAF: 1.136
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 20, Lung and Other Severe Cancers

1.136

V24HCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.675

ESRDHCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.111

RxHCCHCC 21, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.410

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 C83.50 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C83.50

For C83.50 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 C83.50 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C83.50 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for lymphoblastic (diffuse) lymphoma, unspecified site. A type of blood cancer affecting immature lymphoid cells (lymphoblasts) that is diffuse in nature, but the specific location of the cancer is not specified. C83.50 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, C83.50 maps to Lung and Other Severe Cancers (HCC 20) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 1.136. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, C83.50 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 the site of lymphoblastic lymphoma is unknown or not documented. Because C83.50 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 C83.50 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 the site of lymphoblastic lymphoma is unknown or not documented
•If the anatomical site is documented, use a more specific code (C83.51-C83.58) instead

Clinical Significance

Lymphoblastic lymphoma is a highly aggressive lymphoma of immature lymphoid precursor cells (lymphoblasts), closely related to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It typically affects younger patients and requires intensive chemotherapy protocols similar to acute leukemia. The unspecified site code should be used only when documentation fails to identify the involved anatomical region.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology confirmation with immunohistochemistry (TdT+, CD99+)
✓Determination of T-cell vs. B-cell lineage (CD3 vs. CD19/CD20)
✓Flow cytometry results from involved tissue or peripheral blood
✓Bone marrow biopsy to distinguish lymphoma from leukemia (>25% blasts = leukemia)
✓CNS evaluation including CSF cytology

Commonly Confused Codes

•C91.0-: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia; if bone marrow blasts exceed 25%, classify as leukemia rather than lymphoma
•C83.30: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; mature B-cell lymphoma vs. immature precursor lymphoblastic lymphoma
•C85.10: Unspecified non-Hodgkin lymphoma; always use specific subtype when pathology confirms lymphoblastic lymphoma
•C83.70: Burkitt lymphoma; another highly aggressive lymphoma but with mature B-cell phenotype