What is ICD-10 code E70.329?

E70.329 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified. A genetic condition where the body produces little to no melanin affecting skin, hair, and eyes, but whether the enzyme deficiency is complete or partial is not specified. E70.329 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. E70.329 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. E70.329 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. E70.329 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 E70.329?

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. E70.329 was a payment HCC under V24 (Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic 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.

What should coders know when reporting E70.329?

This is the least specific oculocutaneous albinism code; attempt to determine tyrosinase status from clinical documentation Document all skin and eye manifestations to support medical necessity Because E70.329 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 E70.329: Oculocutaneous albinism

ICD-10-CM Code View

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Code lookupE70.329Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

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

E70.329

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

Oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified

A genetic condition where the body produces little to no melanin affecting skin, hair, and eyes, but whether the enzyme deficiency is complete or partial is not specified.

Buddy Insight

CMS-HCC V28

N/A

—

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

Not mapped

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 23

Other Significant Endocrine a...

RAF 0.194

ACA/HHS

Mapped

HCC 28

HHS-HCC 28

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 23

Other Significant Endocrine a...

RAF 0.036

RXHCC

Mapped

HCC 43

Other Significant Endocrine a...

RAF 0.063

Code Book Path

Official

E70.3Albinism

E70.32Oculocutaneous albinism

E70.329Oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for E70.329 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for E70.329 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

E70.320Tyrosinase negative oculocutaneous albinism

E70.321Tyrosinase positive oculocutaneous albinism

E70.328Other oculocutaneous albinism

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for E70.329 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

Chediak-Higashi syndrome (E70.330)
Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (E70.331)

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for E70.329 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for E70.329 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for E70.329 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Documentation should include clinical findings demonstrating reduced pigmentation in both skin/hair and eyes, ophthalmologic examination results, and the reason the specific type cannot be determined.

If genetic testing is planned, document the referral.

Visual acuity, nystagmus assessment, iris transillumination, and skin examination findings should be detailed.

Sun protection counseling and cancer screening frequency should be noted.

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

If genetic testing is planned, document the referral.

Visual acuity, nystagmus assessment, iris transillumination, and skin examination findings should be detailed.

Sun protection counseling and cancer screening frequency should be noted.

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

This code should prompt a query about whether genetic testing can clarify the specific type of oculocutaneous albinism.

Do not assume oculocutaneous albinism without documented involvement of both skin and eyes.

Ensure the provider diagnosis is documented rather than inferring from physical appearance alone.

Code all visual and dermatologic complications separately.

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

E70.320 (Tyrosinase negative) and E70.321 (Tyrosinase positive) should be used when enzyme status is known.

E70.328 (Other oculocutaneous albinism) is for identified non-standard variants.

E70.30 (Albinism, unspecified) does not even specify ocular vs oculocutaneous involvement.

E70.310-E70.319 (Ocular albinism) is for eye-only involvement.

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 E70.329 an HCC code?

Yes. E70.329 maps to Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders under the V24 model but is not retained in V28.

Code: E70.329
Description: Oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified
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 43, Other Significant Endocrine and Metabolic 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 E70.329 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for E70.329

For E70.329to 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 E70.329 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

E70.329 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified. A genetic condition where the body produces little to no melanin affecting skin, hair, and eyes, but whether the enzyme deficiency is complete or partial is not specified. E70.329 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, E70.329 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 the least specific oculocutaneous albinism code; attempt to determine tyrosinase status from clinical documentation. Because E70.329 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 E70.329 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•This is the least specific oculocutaneous albinism code; attempt to determine tyrosinase status from clinical documentation
•Document all skin and eye manifestations to support medical necessity

Clinical Significance

Oculocutaneous albinism, unspecified, indicates confirmed albinism affecting both skin and eyes where the specific subtype (tyrosinase-negative, tyrosinase-positive, or other) has not been determined. This code reflects either incomplete genetic evaluation or cases where the clinical presentation does not clearly differentiate between subtypes. These patients still require dermatologic surveillance and ophthalmologic management.

Documentation Requirements

✓Documentation should include clinical findings demonstrating reduced pigmentation in both skin/hair and eyes, ophthalmologic examination results, and the reason the specific type cannot be determined.
✓If genetic testing is planned, document the referral.
✓Visual acuity, nystagmus assessment, iris transillumination, and skin examination findings should be detailed.
✓Sun protection counseling and cancer screening frequency should be noted.

Commonly Confused Codes

•E70.320 (Tyrosinase negative) and E70.321 (Tyrosinase positive) should be used when enzyme status is known.
•E70.328 (Other oculocutaneous albinism) is for identified non-standard variants.
•E70.30 (Albinism, unspecified) does not even specify ocular vs oculocutaneous involvement.
•E70.310-E70.319 (Ocular albinism) is for eye-only involvement.