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C84.72 ICD-10-CM Code: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes

C84.72 maps to CMS-HCC V28 19. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools

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

C84.72

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

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes

A type of aggressive lymphoma (cancer of immune cells) without a specific genetic marker (ALK-negative) that is located in the lymph nodes within the chest cavity.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, involving intrathoracic lymph nodes represents mediastinal or hilar nodal disease from an aggressive T-cell lymphoma without the favorable ALK marker.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 19

Code-level coefficient reference

CMS-HCC V24

Historical

Historical

Not used for CY2026 payment

ACA/HHS

HCC 010

Code-level coefficient reference

ESRD/PACE

HCC 10

Code-level coefficient reference

RXHCC

HCC 21

Code-level coefficient reference

Code Book Path

Official
C84Mature T/NK-cell lymphomas
C84.7Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative
C84.72Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C84.72 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C84.72 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
C84.70Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, unspecified site
C84.71Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
C84.73Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intra-abdominal lymph nodes
C84.74Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, lymph nodes of axilla and upper limb
C84.75Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, lymph nodes of inguinal region and lower limb

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C84.72 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official
  • primary cutaneous CD30-positive T-cell proliferations (C86.6-)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C84.72 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C84.72 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C84.72 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Pathology confirming ALCL ALK-negative with CD30 positivity
Chest CT or PET/CT documenting intrathoracic lymph node involvement
T-cell immunophenotype on immunohistochemistry
Clinical staging with notation of bulky disease

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Pathology confirming ALCL ALK-negative with CD30 positivity
Chest CT or PET/CT documenting intrathoracic lymph node involvement
T-cell immunophenotype on immunohistochemistry
Clinical staging with notation of bulky disease

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Confusing ALCL with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma in the mediastinum
Not verifying ALK-negative status through testing
Using unspecified T-cell lymphoma code when ALCL diagnosis is confirmed
Failing to update code when disease extends to multiple sites

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C84.62 — ALCL ALK-positive, intrathoracic: Different ALK status with better prognosis
C84.42 — PTCL-NOS, intrathoracic: Different subtype without ALCL morphologic features
C85.22 — Mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: B-cell origin; can mimic ALCL in mediastinum
C84.92 — Mature T/NK-cell lymphoma, unspecified, intrathoracic: Less specific; ALCL should be coded when confirmed

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 C84.72 an HCC code?

Yes. C84.72 (Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes) maps to HCC 19, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 1.798. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C84.72 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 19, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code
C84.72
Description
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes
HCC (V28)
HCC 19 — Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers
RAF reference coefficient
1.798
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 19, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers
1.798
ESRDHCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers
Not separately weighted
RxHCCHCC 21, Lymphomas and Other Hematologic Cancers
Not separately weighted

These are source-labeled model coefficients, not member totals. A category may still be removed by hierarchy or model cleanup rules. 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 context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains available for historical review.

Work C84.72 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C84.72

For C84.72 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 C84.72 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C84.72 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for anaplastic large cell lymphoma, alk-negative, intrathoracic lymph nodes. A type of aggressive lymphoma (cancer of immune cells) without a specific genetic marker (ALK-negative) that is located in the lymph nodes within the chest cavity. C84.72 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, C84.72 maps to Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers (HCC 19) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 1.798. No V24 mapping is shown for C84.72; use the applicable model and payment year when reviewing the V28 mapping. 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. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

Confirm involvement of mediastinal, hilar, or other intrathoracic lymph nodes through imaging reports (CT or PET scans). Because C84.72 maps to an HCC category, the provider's documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment. 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, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for C84.72 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Confirm involvement of mediastinal, hilar, or other intrathoracic lymph nodes through imaging reports (CT or PET scans)
  • Document whether involvement is unilateral or bilateral if specified in the clinical documentation

Clinical Significance

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK-negative, involving intrathoracic lymph nodes represents mediastinal or hilar nodal disease from an aggressive T-cell lymphoma without the favorable ALK marker. Intrathoracic involvement can cause respiratory symptoms, superior vena cava syndrome, or pleural effusions. The ALK-negative status requires more intensive treatment strategies.

Documentation Requirements

  • Pathology confirming ALCL ALK-negative with CD30 positivity
  • Chest CT or PET/CT documenting intrathoracic lymph node involvement
  • T-cell immunophenotype on immunohistochemistry
  • Clinical staging with notation of bulky disease
  • ALK-negative status confirmed by testing

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C84.62: ALCL ALK-positive, intrathoracic: Different ALK status with better prognosis
  • C84.42: PTCL-NOS, intrathoracic: Different subtype without ALCL morphologic features
  • C85.22: Mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: B-cell origin; can mimic ALCL in mediastinum
  • C84.92: Mature T/NK-cell lymphoma, unspecified, intrathoracic: Less specific; ALCL should be coded when confirmed

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because C84.72 maps to an HCC category, the documentation must satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) before the diagnosis is used for risk adjustment.

C84.72 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 19, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. The mapping identifies a payment HCC category for C84.72. Review its source-labeled HCC coefficient above, check the RAF Calculator with complete member context for CMS-HCC V28 PY2026, and confirm the documentation the chart needs before the code is submitted. HCC Buddy shows no RAF score unless every required source and calculation check passes.

Work C84.72 in HCC Buddy

Open C84.72 in the Code Book for the full Index-to-Tabular path, MEAT checklist, and V28 HCC mapping, or in the Encoder to code from a keyword search. Pro includes 7 days to try everything, no card required.