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C86.51 ICD-10-CM Code: Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in remission

C86.51 maps to CMS-HCC V28 19 (RAF 1.798). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software

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

C86.51

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

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in remission

A rare lymphoma caused by abnormal T-cells that affects lymph nodes and surrounding tissues and is currently in remission.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in remission indicates this systemically aggressive lymphoma has responded to treatment.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 19

RAF 1.798

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 10

RAF 0.675

ACA/HHS

HCC 10

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 10

RAF 0.111

RXHCC

HCC 21

RAF 0.410

Code Book Path

Official
C86Other specified types of T/NK-cell lymphoma
C86.5Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma
C86.51Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in remission

Inclusion Terms

Official
  • Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia (AILD), in remission

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C86.51 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
C86.50Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma not having achieved remission

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C86.51 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for C86.51 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C86.51 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C86.51 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C86.51 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Provider must explicitly document remission with supporting evidence from imaging (PET-CT showing no metabolically active disease), laboratory normalization, and resolution of systemic symptoms.
The original AITL diagnosis and any persistent autoimmune complications requiring management must be documented.
Surveillance schedule should be recorded.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Provider must explicitly document remission with supporting evidence from imaging (PET-CT showing no metabolically active disease), laboratory normalization, and resolution of systemic symptoms.
The original AITL diagnosis and any persistent autoimmune complications requiring management must be documented.
Surveillance schedule should be recorded.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Remission in AITL may be partial
ensure documentation specifies the type and quality of remission achieved. Do not switch to a history code during active surveillance. Resolution of autoimmune symptoms alone does not constitute remission without imaging and laboratory confirmation.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C86.50 (AITL not in remission) indicates active disease.
Z85.79 (personal history of malignant neoplasm of lymphoid tissue) is only for cured disease.
C84.4x (peripheral T-cell lymphoma, NOS) is a less specific code that should not be used when AITL is 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 C86.51 an HCC code?

Yes. C86.51 (Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in remission) maps to Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Lymphoma and Other Cancers under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 1.798. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: C86.51 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
C86.51
Description
Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, in remission
HCC (V28)
HCC 19 — Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers
RAF
1.798
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 19, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers
1.798
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 C86.51 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for C86.51

For C86.51 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 C86.51 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

C86.51 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for angioimmunoblastic t-cell lymphoma, in remission. A rare lymphoma caused by abnormal T-cells that affects lymph nodes and surrounding tissues and is currently in remission. C86.51 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, C86.51 maps to Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers (HCC 19) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 1.798. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, C86.51 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.

Document remission status explicitly in clinical notes. Because C86.51 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 C86.51 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Document remission status explicitly in clinical notes
  • Verify remission through appropriate clinical or imaging assessment

Clinical Significance

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma in remission indicates this systemically aggressive lymphoma has responded to treatment. However, AITL has a high relapse rate, and remission may be short-lived. Ongoing surveillance must monitor for both disease relapse and persistent autoimmune complications that may continue even during remission.

Documentation Requirements

  • Provider must explicitly document remission with supporting evidence from imaging (PET-CT showing no metabolically active disease), laboratory normalization, and resolution of systemic symptoms.
  • The original AITL diagnosis and any persistent autoimmune complications requiring management must be documented.
  • Surveillance schedule should be recorded.

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C86.50 (AITL not in remission) indicates active disease.
  • Z85.79 (personal history of malignant neoplasm of lymphoid tissue) is only for cured disease.
  • C84.4x (peripheral T-cell lymphoma, NOS) is a less specific code that should not be used when AITL is confirmed.

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

C86.51 code history

Code setChange
FY2025 (effective Oct 1, 2024)Added to the code set

Source: official CMS ICD-10-CM order and addenda files, FY2016 through FY2027.

Because C86.51 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.

C86.51 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. Because C86.51 carries a payment HCC, you can see what it adds to a RAF score and check the documentation the chart needs before it is submitted.

Work C86.51 in HCC Buddy

Open C86.51 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.