Question 1

What is ICD-10 code D52.8?

Accepted Answer

D52.8 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other folate deficiency anemias. Anemia resulting from folate deficiency due to causes other than diet or medications, such as increased folate demands or malabsorption disorders. D52.8 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (d50-d89), within the section covering nutritional anemias (d50-d53).

D52.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

Use this code only when the folate deficiency cause doesn't fit D52.0 or D52.1.

Question 2

Is D52.8 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. D52.8 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any payment HCC category under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can still be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions, but it does not contribute to the beneficiary's Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) score and therefore does not affect the risk-adjusted capitation payment to the plan. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026.

Question 3

Is D52.8 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. D52.8 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. D52.8 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.

Question 4

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for D52.8?

Accepted Answer

D52.8 does not map to a payment HCC under either the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model or the older V24 model. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition. Because neither community model rewards D52.8 with a risk adjustment factor, it contributes zero to a Medicare Advantage beneficiary's V28/V24 community RAF score in either version. Coders should check whether provider documentation supports a more specific child code that does map to a community payment HCC.

Question 5

What should coders know when reporting D52.8?

Accepted Answer

Use this code only when the folate deficiency cause doesn't fit D52.0 or D52.1 Document the specific underlying cause (malabsorption, increased demand, etc.) to support medical necessity

HCC Buddy Code Card

D52.8

Is D52.8 an HCC code?

Get the V28 RAF + MEAT cheat sheet

What This Code Means

Coding Tips

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Work D52.8 in HCC Buddy

D52.8 ICD-10-CM Code: Other folate deficiency anemias

HCC Buddy Code Card

D52.8

Is D52.8 an HCC code?

Get the V28 RAF + MEAT cheat sheet

What This Code Means

Coding Tips

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Work D52.8 in HCC Buddy