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C88.00 ICD-10-CM Code: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia not having achieved remission

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

C88.00

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

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia not having achieved remission

A rare blood cancer where abnormal plasma cells produce excessive immunoglobulin M protein, and the disease has not responded adequately to treatment.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is an indolent B-cell neoplasm characterized by bone marrow infiltration by lymphoplasmacytic cells producing monoclonal immunoglobulin M.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 21

RAF 0.545

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 23

RAF 0.230

ACA/HHS

0

0

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

HCC 23

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

HCC 19

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official
C88Malignant immunoproliferative diseases and certain other B-cell lymphomas
C88.0Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
C88.00Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia not having achieved remission

Inclusion Terms

Official
  • Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with IgM-production, NOS
  • Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with IgM-production not having achieved remission
  • Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with IgM-production with failed remission
  • Macroglobulinemia (idiopathic) (primary) NOS
  • Macroglobulinemia (idiopathic) (primary) not having achieved remission

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for C88.00 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
C88.01Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, in remission

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for C88.00 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official
  • small cell B-cell lymphoma (C83.0)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for C88.00 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for C88.00 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for C88.00 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation must include confirmation through bone marrow biopsy showing lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and serum protein electrophoresis demonstrating the immunoglobulin M monoclonal spike.
Immunoglobulin M quantification, viscosity levels if symptomatic, hemoglobin, treatment regimen, and non-remission status must be documented.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation must include confirmation through bone marrow biopsy showing lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and serum protein electrophoresis demonstrating the immunoglobulin M monoclonal spike.
Immunoglobulin M quantification, viscosity levels if symptomatic, hemoglobin, treatment regimen, and non-remission status must be documented.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Do not confuse with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, which has an immunoglobulin M spike but lacks significant marrow infiltration or symptoms.
Ensure the immunoglobulin M monoclonal protein is documented, not another immunoglobulin class.
Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma are synonymous terms.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
C88.01 (Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia in remission) requires documented remission.
D47.2 (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) is a premalignant condition without bone marrow infiltration.
C90.00 (multiple myeloma) involves a different immunoglobulin class and clinical presentation.

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 C88.00 an HCC code?

Yes. C88.00 maps to Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 21, Breast, Prostate, Colorectal and Other Cancers and Tumors
0.545
V24HCC 23, Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
0.230
ESRDHCC 23, Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
0.000
RxHCCHCC 19, 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 C88.00

For C88.00to 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 C88.00 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

C88.00 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for waldenstrom macroglobulinemia not having achieved remission. A rare blood cancer where abnormal plasma cells produce excessive immunoglobulin M protein, and the disease has not responded adequately to treatment. C88.00 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, C88.00 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, C88.00 maps to Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (HCC 23) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.230. 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.

Distinguish between remission (C88.01) and non-remission status based on clinical response to therapy. Because C88.00 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 C88.00 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • Distinguish between remission (C88.01) and non-remission status based on clinical response to therapy
  • Document laboratory findings including serum protein levels and immunoglobulin M quantification

Clinical Significance

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is an indolent B-cell neoplasm characterized by bone marrow infiltration by lymphoplasmacytic cells producing monoclonal immunoglobulin M. The elevated immunoglobulin M can cause hyperviscosity syndrome with neurologic symptoms, bleeding, and visual disturbances. Non-remission status indicates ongoing disease requiring active management of both the neoplasm and its immunoglobulin M-related complications.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation must include confirmation through bone marrow biopsy showing lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and serum protein electrophoresis demonstrating the immunoglobulin M monoclonal spike.
  • Immunoglobulin M quantification, viscosity levels if symptomatic, hemoglobin, treatment regimen, and non-remission status must be documented.

Commonly Confused Codes

  • C88.01 (Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia in remission) requires documented remission.
  • D47.2 (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) is a premalignant condition without bone marrow infiltration.
  • C90.00 (multiple myeloma) involves a different immunoglobulin class and clinical presentation.

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

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