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E70.0 ICD-10-CM Code: Classical phenylketonuria

E70.0 is not a CMS-HCC payment code. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · free HCC coding tools

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FY 2026 Apr update / Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E89) / Metabolic disorders (E70-E88)

E70.0

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

Classical phenylketonuria

A rare inherited metabolic disorder where the body cannot properly break down the amino acid phenylalanine, leading to intellectual disability if untreated.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Classical phenylketonuria is a serious autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism caused by deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, preventing conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine.

CMS-HCC V28

N/A

Not mapped

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 23

RAF 0.194

ACA/HHS

HCC 28

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 23

RAF 0.036

RXHCC

HCC 42

RAF 2.110

Code Book Path

Official
E70Disorders of aromatic amino-acid metabolism
E70.0Classical phenylketonuria

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for E70.0 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for E70.0 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
E70.1Other hyperphenylalaninemias
E70.2Disorders of tyrosine metabolism
E70.3Albinism
E70.4Disorders of histidine metabolism
E70.5Disorders of tryptophan metabolism

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for E70.0 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for E70.0 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for E70.0 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for E70.0 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for E70.0 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation should include the confirmed diagnosis from newborn screening or diagnostic testing showing elevated phenylalanine levels (typically above 20 mg/dL), current phenylalanine blood levels and target ranges, dietary management including phenylalanine-restricted diet and medical formula use, and any neurological or developmental complications.
For maternal phenylketonuria, pregnancy status and fetal effects should be documented.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation should include the confirmed diagnosis from newborn screening or diagnostic testing showing elevated phenylalanine levels (typically above 20 mg/dL), current phenylalanine blood levels and target ranges, dietary management including phenylalanine-restricted diet and medical formula use, and any neurological or developmental complications.
For maternal phenylketonuria, pregnancy status and fetal effects should be documented.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Do not confuse classical phenylketonuria (E70.0) with mild or benign hyperphenylalaninemia (E70.1), which has a different clinical course and management approach.
Ensure the provider documents classical phenylketonuria specifically.
Maternal phenylketonuria syndrome in pregnancy requires additional obstetric codes.
Do not use this code for transient neonatal hyperphenylalaninemia, which resolves spontaneously.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
E70.1 (Other hyperphenylalaninemias) captures milder forms with lower phenylalanine levels that may not require as strict dietary management.
E70.20-E70.29 (Disorders of tyrosine metabolism) involve a different amino acid pathway.
E70.9 (Disorder of aromatic amino-acid metabolism, unspecified) should not be used when classical phenylketonuria is documented.
P74.31 (Neonatal hyperphenylalanemia) is for newborns with elevated levels before definitive diagnosis.

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 E70.0 an HCC code?

Yes. E70.0 maps to Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders under the V24 model but is not retained in V28.

Code
E70.0
Description
Classical phenylketonuria
HCC (V28)
No CMS-HCC V28 mapping
RAF
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 23, Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
0.194
ESRDHCC 23, Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
0.036
RxHCCHCC 42, Endocrine Disorders and Metabolic Conditions
2.110

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 E70.0 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for E70.0

For E70.0 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 E70.0 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

E70.0 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for classical phenylketonuria. A rare inherited metabolic disorder where the body cannot properly break down the amino acid phenylalanine, leading to intellectual disability if untreated. E70.0 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (e00-e89), within the section covering metabolic disorders (e70-e88).

Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, E70.0 maps to Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (HCC 23) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.194. 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.

This is a congenital condition; verify if the patient has been diagnosed through newborn screening. Because E70.0 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 E70.0 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • This is a congenital condition; verify if the patient has been diagnosed through newborn screening
  • Document whether the patient is on a phenylalanine-restricted diet for management

Clinical Significance

Classical phenylketonuria is a serious autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism caused by deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, preventing conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine. Without lifelong dietary restriction of phenylalanine, this condition leads to severe intellectual disability, seizures, behavioral problems, and eczema. Newborn screening has dramatically improved outcomes through early dietary intervention.

Documentation Requirements

  • Documentation should include the confirmed diagnosis from newborn screening or diagnostic testing showing elevated phenylalanine levels (typically above 20 mg/dL), current phenylalanine blood levels and target ranges, dietary management including phenylalanine-restricted diet and medical formula use, and any neurological or developmental complications.
  • For maternal phenylketonuria, pregnancy status and fetal effects should be documented.

Commonly Confused Codes

  • E70.1 (Other hyperphenylalaninemias) captures milder forms with lower phenylalanine levels that may not require as strict dietary management.
  • E70.20-E70.29 (Disorders of tyrosine metabolism) involve a different amino acid pathway.
  • E70.9 (Disorder of aromatic amino-acid metabolism, unspecified) should not be used when classical phenylketonuria is documented.
  • P74.31 (Neonatal hyperphenylalanemia) is for newborns with elevated levels before definitive diagnosis.

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Because E70.0 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.

Work E70.0 in HCC Buddy

Open E70.0 in the Code Book for the full Index-to-Tabular path, MEAT checklist, and V28 HCC mapping, or in the Encoder to code from a keyword search. Pro includes 7 days to try everything, no card required.