C85.8A
BillableOther specified types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in remission
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is C85.8A an HCC code?
Yes. C85.8A 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 C85.8A
For C85.8A 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 C85.8A during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
C85.8A is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other specified types of non-hodgkin lymphoma, in remission. A specific type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system) that is not further classified, and the patient is currently in remission with no active disease. C85.8A 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, C85.8A 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, C85.8A 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.
The 'A' suffix indicates remission status; ensure documentation supports that the patient is in remission before assigning this code. Because C85.8A 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 C85.8A sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •The 'A' suffix indicates remission status; ensure documentation supports that the patient is in remission before assigning this code
- •Use this code only when the specific type of NHL is identified but doesn't fit other C85.8 categories
Clinical Significance
Other specified non-Hodgkin lymphoma in remission captures patients with named NHL subtypes not classified elsewhere who have achieved disease control. This may include rare entities like intravascular large B-cell lymphoma, plasmablastic lymphoma, or primary effusion lymphoma that have responded to treatment. Ongoing surveillance is essential as many of these rare subtypes carry high relapse rates.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Explicit documentation of remission or complete response with date of assessment
- ✓Original pathology specifying the non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype that does not have its own ICD-10 code
- ✓Method of remission confirmation (PET/CT, biopsy, bone marrow evaluation)
- ✓Planned surveillance frequency and monitoring modalities