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E11.39 ICD-10-CM Code: Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication

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

E11.39

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

Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication

Type 2 diabetes with eye complications other than retinopathy or cataracts, such as diabetic macular edema, glaucoma, or other vision problems caused by diabetes.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication captures eye conditions attributable to diabetes beyond retinopathy and cataract, such as diabetic papillopathy, cranial nerve palsies affecting extraocular muscles, neovascular glaucoma, or diabetic maculopathy without retinopathy classification.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 37

RAF 0.245

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 18

RAF 0.302

ACA/HHS

0

0

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

HCC 18

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

HCC 30

RAF 0.0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official
E11Type 2 diabetes mellitus
E11.3Type 2 diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications
E11.39Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for E11.39 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for E11.39 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
E11.31Type 2 diabetes mellitus with unspecified diabetic retinopathy
E11.32Type 2 diabetes mellitus with mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy
E11.33Type 2 diabetes mellitus with moderate nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy
E11.34Type 2 diabetes mellitus with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy
E11.35Type 2 diabetes mellitus with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for E11.39 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for E11.39 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for E11.39 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 E11.39 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
The medical record must identify the specific ophthalmic complication and its relationship to Type 2 diabetes.
Comprehensive eye examination findings, specialized testing (visual fields, tonometry, OCT), and treatment plans should be documented.
The provider must confirm the condition is not retinopathy or cataract, which have their own specific codes.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
The medical record must identify the specific ophthalmic complication and its relationship to Type 2 diabetes.
Comprehensive eye examination findings, specialized testing (visual fields, tonometry, OCT), and treatment plans should be documented.
The provider must confirm the condition is not retinopathy or cataract, which have their own specific codes.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Verify the eye condition is truly attributable to diabetes rather than an independent ophthalmological condition.
Do not use this code for retinopathy or cataract, which have more specific codes.
When multiple diabetic eye conditions coexist, code each one individually for complete clinical documentation.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
E11.311/E11.319 (diabetic retinopathy with/without macular edema) are specific to retinal vascular disease.
E11.36 (diabetic cataract) covers lens opacity.
H40 series (glaucoma) codes may be used additionally when neovascular glaucoma is documented.
E11.69 (other specified complication) is too broad when the complication is specifically ophthalmic.

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 E11.39 an HCC code?

Yes. E11.39 maps to Diabetes with Chronic Complications under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Diabetes with Chronic Complications under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 37, Diabetes with Chronic Complications
0.245
V24HCC 18, Diabetes with Chronic Complications
0.302
ESRDHCC 18, Diabetes with Chronic Complications
0.000
RxHCCHCC 30, Diabetes with Complications
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 E11.39

For E11.39to 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 E11.39 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

E11.39 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication. Type 2 diabetes with eye complications other than retinopathy or cataracts, such as diabetic macular edema, glaucoma, or other vision problems caused by diabetes. E11.39 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, E11.39 maps to Diabetes with Chronic Complications (HCC 37) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.245. Under the older V24 model, E11.39 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.

Use this code only when the eye complication is not retinopathy or cataract. Because E11.39 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 E11.39 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 eye complication is not retinopathy or cataract
  • Document the specific ophthalmic complication in the medical record for clarity and future reference

Clinical Significance

Type 2 diabetes mellitus with other diabetic ophthalmic complication captures eye conditions attributable to diabetes beyond retinopathy and cataract, such as diabetic papillopathy, cranial nerve palsies affecting extraocular muscles, neovascular glaucoma, or diabetic maculopathy without retinopathy classification. These less common ophthalmic complications still represent significant visual morbidity requiring specialized care.

Documentation Requirements

  • The medical record must identify the specific ophthalmic complication and its relationship to Type 2 diabetes.
  • Comprehensive eye examination findings, specialized testing (visual fields, tonometry, OCT), and treatment plans should be documented.
  • The provider must confirm the condition is not retinopathy or cataract, which have their own specific codes.

Use Additional Code

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

Commonly Confused Codes

  • E11.311/E11.319 (diabetic retinopathy with/without macular edema) are specific to retinal vascular disease.
  • E11.36 (diabetic cataract) covers lens opacity.
  • H40 series (glaucoma) codes may be used additionally when neovascular glaucoma is documented.
  • E11.69 (other specified complication) is too broad when the complication is specifically ophthalmic.

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

More on E11.39

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