What is ICD-10 code D56.8?

D56.8 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Other thalassemias. A group of inherited blood disorders affecting hemoglobin production that don't fit into the more specific thalassemia categories, causing varying degrees of anemia. D56.8 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. D56.8 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. D56.8 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. D56.8 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.

Which HCC does D56.8 map to under V28?

D56.8 does not map to a CMS-HCC V28 payment category. Check the current CMS-HCC V28 model file for payment year 2026 rather than an older V24 tip sheet.

What does D56.8 pay in RAF?

D56.8 has no separately stated V28 community RAF weight. If it is not a V28 payment HCC, it adds nothing to a community RAF score.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for D56.8?

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. D56.8 was a payment HCC under V24 (Coagulation Defects and Other Specified Hematological Disorders) but the V28 recalibration removed it from the risk adjustment model. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

2026 ICD-10-CM D56.8: Other thalassemias

D56.8 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupD56.8Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism (D50-D89) / Hemolytic anemias (D55-D59)

D56.8

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

Other thalassemias

A group of inherited blood disorders affecting hemoglobin production that don't fit into the more specific thalassemia categories, causing varying degrees of anemia.

Buddy Insight

This code captures thalassemia variants that do not fit specific subcategories including delta thalassemia, epsilon thalassemia, and other rare hemoglobin chain production disorders.

CMS-HCC V28

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 48

Coagulation Defects and Other...

RAF 0.192

ACA/HHS

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 48

Coagulation Defects and Other...

RAF 0.063

RXHCC

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

Code Book Path

Official

D56Thalassemia

D56.8Other thalassemias

Inclusion Terms

Official

Dominant thalassemia
Hemoglobin C thalassemia
Mixed thalassemia
Thalassemia with other hemoglobinopathy

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for D56.8 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

D56.0Alpha thalassemia

D56.1Beta thalassemia

D56.2Delta-beta thalassemia

D56.3Thalassemia minor

D56.4Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin [HPFH]

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for D56.8 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

hemoglobin C disease (D58.2)
hemoglobin E disease (D58.2)
other hemoglobinopathies (D58.2)
sickle-cell anemia (D57.-)
sickle-cell thalassemia (D57.4-)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for D56.8 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for D56.8 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for D56.8 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Document the specific thalassemia variant identified through hemoglobin electrophoresis, molecular genetic testing, or other laboratory studies.

Record why the condition does not fit into D56.0-D56.5 categories.

Include hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume, evidence of hemolysis if present, transfusion requirements, and management plan.

Family history and genetic counseling documentation should be included.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Document the specific thalassemia variant identified through hemoglobin electrophoresis, molecular genetic testing, or other laboratory studies.

Record why the condition does not fit into D56.0-D56.5 categories.

Include hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume, evidence of hemolysis if present, transfusion requirements, and management plan.

Family history and genetic counseling documentation should be included.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

This code has no V28 HCC mapping, so it loses risk adjustment value in the model transition.

Do not use D56.8 as a default when more specific thalassemia codes (D56.0-D56.5) apply.

Query the provider for the specific thalassemia type documented in specialty consultations or genetic testing results.

Ensure the condition is a thalassemia (quantitative defect) and not a structural hemoglobin variant (hemoglobinopathy).

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

D56.8 vs. D56.9 (Thalassemia, unspecified) -

use D56.8 when a specific thalassemia type is identified but does not have its own code, vs. D56.9 when the type is entirely unknown. D56.8 vs. D56.0 (Alpha thalassemia) or D56.1 (Beta thalassemia) -

use the more specific codes when alpha or beta type is confirmed. D56.8 vs. D58.2 (Other hemoglobinopathies) -

thalassemias are quantitative globin chain disorders, while hemoglobinopathies are qualitative.

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 D56.8 an HCC code?

Yes. D56.8 maps to Coagulation Defects and Other Specified Hematological Disorders under the V24 model but is not retained in V28.

Code: D56.8
Description: Other thalassemias
HCC (V28): No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
RAF: —
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 48, Coagulation Defects and Other Specified Hematological Disorders

0.192

ESRDHCC 48, Coagulation Defects and Other Specified Hematological Disorders

0.063

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 D56.8 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for D56.8

For D56.8 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 D56.8 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

D56.8 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other thalassemias. A group of inherited blood disorders affecting hemoglobin production that don't fit into the more specific thalassemia categories, causing varying degrees of anemia. D56.8 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 hemolytic anemias (d55-d59).

Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, D56.8 maps to Coagulation Defects and Other Specified Hematological Disorders (HCC 48) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.192. 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.

Use this code only when the thalassemia type is documented but doesn't match D56.0-D56.5 categories. Because D56.8 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 D56.8 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when the thalassemia type is documented but doesn't match D56.0-D56.5 categories
•Review documentation for alpha thalassemia variants, delta thalassemia, or other rare forms

Clinical Significance

This code captures thalassemia variants that do not fit specific subcategories including delta thalassemia, epsilon thalassemia, and other rare hemoglobin chain production disorders. These conditions vary in clinical severity from asymptomatic to moderately symptomatic with chronic anemia. While individually rare, accurate coding is important for distinguishing from more common thalassemia types and ensuring appropriate genetic counseling.

Documentation Requirements

✓Document the specific thalassemia variant identified through hemoglobin electrophoresis, molecular genetic testing, or other laboratory studies.
✓Record why the condition does not fit into D56.0-D56.5 categories.
✓Include hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume, evidence of hemolysis if present, transfusion requirements, and management plan.
✓Family history and genetic counseling documentation should be included.

Excludes 1, Do NOT code together

hemoglobin C disease (D58.2)
hemoglobin E disease (D58.2)
other hemoglobinopathies (D58.2)
sickle-cell anemia (D57.-)
sickle-cell thalassemia (D57.4-)

Commonly Confused Codes

•D56.8 vs. D56.9 (Thalassemia, unspecified) -
•use D56.8 when a specific thalassemia type is identified but does not have its own code, vs. D56.9 when the type is entirely unknown. D56.8 vs. D56.0 (Alpha thalassemia) or D56.1 (Beta thalassemia) -
•use the more specific codes when alpha or beta type is confirmed. D56.8 vs. D58.2 (Other hemoglobinopathies) -
•thalassemias are quantitative globin chain disorders, while hemoglobinopathies are qualitative.