What is ICD-10 code E08.39?

E08.39 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication. Diabetes caused by another medical condition that affects the eyes in ways other than retinopathy, such as cataracts or glaucoma related to the diabetes. E08.39 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. E08.39 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. E08.39 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. E08.39 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.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for E08.39?

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. For E08.39, V28 maps to Diabetes with Chronic Complications at RAF 0.166 while V24 mapped to Diabetes with Chronic Complications at RAF 0.302. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting E08.39?

Identify the underlying condition causing the diabetes and code it separately Specify which eye complication is present beyond retinopathy to ensure accurate coding Because E08.39 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.

2026 ICD-10-CM E08.39: Diabetes mellitus due

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupE08.39Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E89) / Diabetes mellitus (E08-E13)

E08.39

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

Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication

Diabetes caused by another medical condition that affects the eyes in ways other than retinopathy, such as cataracts or glaucoma related to the diabetes.

Buddy Insight

Diabetes mellitus due to an underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complications captures eye manifestations of secondary diabetes beyond retinopathy and cataract, including diabetic papillopathy, diabetic cranial nerve palsies (particularly CN III, IV, VI), neovascular glaucoma, and diabetic optic neuropathy.

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 37

Diabetes with Chronic Complic...

RAF 0.166

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 18

Diabetes with Chronic Complic...

RAF 0.302

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 20

HHS-HCC 20

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 18

Diabetes with Chronic Complic...

RAF 0.084

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 30

Diabetes with Complications

RAF 0.495

Code Book Path

Official

E08Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition

E08.3Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with ophthalmic complications

E08.39Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for E08.39 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for E08.39 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

E08.31Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with unspecified diabetic retinopathy

E08.32Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy

E08.33Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy

E08.34Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy

E08.35Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for E08.39 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for E08.39 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for E08.39 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

code to identify manifestation, such as:
diabetic glaucoma (H40-H42)

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for E08.39 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Document the underlying condition causing diabetes, the specific ophthalmic complication, its causal relationship to diabetes, ophthalmologic examination findings, and treatment plan.

Specify the type of eye complication in the medical record to support this code selection.

Include visual acuity and laterality.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Document the underlying condition causing diabetes, the specific ophthalmic complication, its causal relationship to diabetes, ophthalmologic examination findings, and treatment plan.

Specify the type of eye complication in the medical record to support this code selection.

Include visual acuity and laterality.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

This residual ophthalmic category should only be used when the specific eye complication does not fit into retinopathy or cataract categories.

For neovascular glaucoma secondary to diabetic retinopathy, this code captures the diabetic etiology.

Ensure documentation clearly attributes the eye finding to diabetes rather than an unrelated cause.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

E08.36: Diabetic cataract — use specifically for lens opacification caused by diabetes

E08.311-E08.359: Diabetic retinopathy codes — use when retinopathy with specified staging is documented

H40.89: Other specified glaucoma — use for neovascular glaucoma with separate diabetes code if causal link is unclear

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 E08.39 an HCC code?

Yes. E08.39 (Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication) maps to Diabetes with Chronic Complications under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Diabetes with Chronic Complications under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.166. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: E08.39 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 37, Diabetes with Chronic Complications. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code: E08.39
Description: Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication
HCC (V28): HCC 37 — Diabetes with Chronic Complications
RAF: 0.166
Billable: Yes
Payment year: 2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 37, Diabetes with Chronic Complications

0.166

V24HCC 18, Diabetes with Chronic Complications

0.302

ESRDHCC 18, Diabetes with Chronic Complications

0.084

RxHCCHCC 30, Diabetes with Complications

0.495

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 E08.39 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for E08.39

For E08.39 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 E08.39 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

E08.39 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with other diabetic ophthalmic complication. Diabetes caused by another medical condition that affects the eyes in ways other than retinopathy, such as cataracts or glaucoma related to the diabetes. E08.39 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (e00-e89), within the section covering diabetes mellitus (e08-e13).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, E08.39 maps to Diabetes with Chronic Complications (HCC 37) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.166. Under the older V24 model, E08.39 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.302, V28 recalibrated weights across the entire model. 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.

Identify the underlying condition causing the diabetes and code it separately. Because E08.39 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 E08.39 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Identify the underlying condition causing the diabetes and code it separately
•Specify which eye complication is present beyond retinopathy to ensure accurate coding

Clinical Significance

Documentation Requirements

✓Document the underlying condition causing diabetes, the specific ophthalmic complication, its causal relationship to diabetes, ophthalmologic examination findings, and treatment plan.
✓Specify the type of eye complication in the medical record to support this code selection.
✓Include visual acuity and laterality.

Use Additional Code

code to identify manifestation, such as:
diabetic glaucoma (H40-H42)

Commonly Confused Codes

•E08.36: Diabetic cataract: use specifically for lens opacification caused by diabetes
•E08.311-E08.359: Diabetic retinopathy codes: use when retinopathy with specified staging is documented
•H40.89: Other specified glaucoma: use for neovascular glaucoma with separate diabetes code if causal link is unclear