What is ICD-10 code C85.12?

C85.12 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes. A cancer of B-cells located in the lymph nodes inside the chest cavity, including those around the lungs and heart. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for neoplasms (c00-d49). C85.12 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. C85.12 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. C85.12 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. C85.12 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.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for C85.12?

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 C85.12, V28 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors at RAF 0.545 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.

What should coders know when reporting C85.12?

Verify documentation specifies intrathoracic (chest) lymph node involvement This includes mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes; ensure site is clearly documented Because C85.12 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

C85.12 ICD-10 Code: Unspecified B-cell lymphoma

ICD-10-CM Code View

HCC Buddy Code Card

Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

Code lookupC85.12Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

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

C85.12

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

Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes

A cancer of B-cells located in the lymph nodes inside the chest cavity, including those around the lungs and heart.

Buddy Insight

Unspecified B-cell lymphoma involving intrathoracic lymph nodes identifies the anatomical location but lacks specific subtype classification.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 21

Breast, Prostate, Colorectal ...

RAF 0.545

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.675

ACA/HHS

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 10

Lymphoma and Other Cancers

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 21

Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Ca...

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official

C85Other specified and unspecified types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

C85.1Unspecified B-cell lymphoma

C85.12Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for C85.12 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C85.12 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

C85.10Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, unspecified site

C85.11Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

C85.13Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, intra-abdominal lymph nodes

C85.14Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, lymph nodes of axilla and upper limb

C85.15Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, lymph nodes of inguinal region and lower limb

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C85.12 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C85.12 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C85.12 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C85.12 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C85.12 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology with immunophenotyping confirming B-cell lineage (CD20, CD19, PAX5 markers)

Clinical or imaging documentation confirming involvement of intrathoracic lymph nodes

Query provider for specific B-cell lymphoma subtype if pathology report is available

Staging information including Ann Arbor stage, B-symptoms, and performance status

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Pathology with immunophenotyping confirming B-cell lineage (CD20, CD19, PAX5 markers)

Clinical or imaging documentation confirming involvement of intrathoracic lymph nodes

Query provider for specific B-cell lymphoma subtype if pathology report is available

Staging information including Ann Arbor stage, B-symptoms, and performance status

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Not querying for the specific B-cell lymphoma subtype from pathology before accepting this unspecified code

Confusing the anatomical site codes (5th character 1-9 for sites) when multiple regions are involved — use '8' for multiple sites

Missing the opportunity to code to a more specific B-cell lymphoma category (C82, C83, C88)

Using unspecified site (C85.10) when documentation clearly identifies intrathoracic lymph nodes

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

C83.30-C83.39 (Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) — If DLBCL is documented, use the specific C83.3 code with appropriate site character

C82.x (Follicular lymphoma) — Follicular lymphoma has its own code series and should not be coded as unspecified B-cell

C83.1x (Mantle cell lymphoma) — Mantle cell is a specific B-cell subtype with its own codes

C85.10 (Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, unspecified site) — Use the site-specific code when anatomical location is documented

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.

Is C85.12 an HCC code?

Yes. C85.12 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

V28HCC 21, Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors

0.545

V24HCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.675

ESRDHCC 10, Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.000

RxHCCHCC 21, Hodgkin Lymphoma and Other Cancers

0.000

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 C85.12

For C85.12to 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 C85.12 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

C85.12 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified b-cell lymphoma, intrathoracic lymph nodes. A cancer of B-cells located in the lymph nodes inside the chest cavity, including those around the lungs and heart. C85.12 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, C85.12 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, C85.12 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.

Verify documentation specifies intrathoracic (chest) lymph node involvement. Because C85.12 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 C85.12 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Verify documentation specifies intrathoracic (chest) lymph node involvement
•This includes mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes; ensure site is clearly documented

Clinical Significance

Unspecified B-cell lymphoma involving intrathoracic lymph nodes identifies the anatomical location but lacks specific subtype classification. B-cell lymphoma subtype determination (diffuse large B-cell, follicular, mantle cell, marginal zone, etc.) is critical for treatment selection and prognosis. While the site specificity is valuable, coders should always query for the B-cell subtype from pathology before accepting this code.

Documentation Requirements

✓Pathology with immunophenotyping confirming B-cell lineage (CD20, CD19, PAX5 markers)
✓Clinical or imaging documentation confirming involvement of intrathoracic lymph nodes
✓Query provider for specific B-cell lymphoma subtype if pathology report is available
✓Staging information including Ann Arbor stage, B-symptoms, and performance status

Commonly Confused Codes

•C83.30-C83.39 (Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) — If DLBCL is documented, use the specific C83.3 code with appropriate site character
•C82.x (Follicular lymphoma) — Follicular lymphoma has its own code series and should not be coded as unspecified B-cell
•C83.1x (Mantle cell lymphoma) — Mantle cell is a specific B-cell subtype with its own codes
•C85.10 (Unspecified B-cell lymphoma, unspecified site) — Use the site-specific code when anatomical location is documented