F18.29 ICD-10-CM Code: Inhalant dependence with unspecified inhalant-induced disorder
F18.29 maps to CMS-HCC V28 137. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · HCC coding software
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FY 2026 Apr update / Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99) / Mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use (F10-F19)
F18.29
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceInhalant dependence with unspecified inhalant-induced disorder
A person dependent on inhalants with an unspecified mental or physical health problem caused by their inhalant use.
Buddy Insight
This code captures an unspecified substance-induced disorder from inhalant dependence, where the specific nature of the complication is not documented.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 137
Coefficient HCC 137: 0.424 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))
CMS-HCC V24
HistoricalHistorical
Not used for CY2026 payment
ACA/HHS
MappedHCC 082
Code-level coefficient reference
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 55
Code-level coefficient reference
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialNo inclusion terms are included in this display for F18.29. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 2
Official- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)Inherited from F01-F99
Related Codes
Includes
Official- disorders of psychological developmentInherited from F01-F99, F18
- volatile solventsInherited from F01-F99, F18
Excludes 1
Official- inhalant abuse (F18.1-)Inherited from F18.2
- inhalant use, unspecified (F18.9-)Inherited from F18.2
Code First
OfficialNo Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for F18.29. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Use Additional
OfficialNo Use Additional Code instructions are included in this display for F18.29. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for F18.29. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Buddy Documentation Tip
MEAT Support
Audit Caution
Common Mistakes
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 F18.29 an HCC code?
Yes. F18.29 (Inhalant dependence with unspecified inhalant-induced disorder) maps to HCC 137, Drug Use Disorder, Moderate/Severe, or Drug Use with Non-Psychotic Complications under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.424. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes. It is billable for payment year 2026.
Coder answer: F18.29 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 137, Drug Use Disorder, Moderate/Severe, or Drug Use with Non-Psychotic Complications. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.
- Code
- F18.29
- Description
- Inhalant dependence with unspecified inhalant-induced disorder
- HCC (V28)
- HCC 137 — Drug Use Disorder, Moderate/Severe, or Drug Use with Non-Psychotic Complications
- RAF reference coefficient
- 0.424
- Billable
- Yes
- Payment year
- 2026
HCC Category Mapping
These are source-labeled model coefficients, not member totals. A category may still be removed by hierarchy or model cleanup rules. 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 context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and the model year used by the payer. V28 is the CMS-HCC model phased in over payment years 2024–2026; V24 remains available for historical review.
Work F18.29 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →
MEAT review for F18.29
For F18.29, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule.
- 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
Coder workflow notes
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What This Code Means
F18.29 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for inhalant dependence with unspecified inhalant-induced disorder. A person dependent on inhalants with an unspecified mental or physical health problem caused by their inhalant use. F18.29 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders (f01-f99), within the section covering mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance use (f10-f19).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, F18.29 maps to Drug Use Disorder, Moderate/Severe, or Drug Use with Non-Psychotic Complications (HCC 137) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.424. For CY2026 non-PACE Medicare Advantage, CMS uses 100% of the 2024 CMS-HCC model (V28). PACE uses a separate model blend. Source-labeled code-level coefficients are references, not member totals. Actual contribution depends on complete member context, hierarchy and cleanup rules, interactions, and model year. HCC Buddy's RAF Calculator supports CMS-HCC V28 PY2026 and shows no score unless every required source and calculation check passes.
This is a less specific code; use only when the specific inhalant-induced disorder cannot be determined. For F18.29, confirm that the documentation supports the diagnosis and meets the applicable coding, encounter, program and payer requirements. MEAT (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) is a review mnemonic, not a universal CMS coding rule. 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, source-labeled coefficient references, and MEAT documentation criteria for F18.29 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •This is a less specific code; use only when the specific inhalant-induced disorder cannot be determined
- •Attempt to obtain clarification on the type of disorder before defaulting to this unspecified code
Clinical Significance
This code captures an unspecified substance-induced disorder from inhalant dependence, where the specific nature of the complication is not documented. While less specific codes should be avoided when possible, this code still reflects that the substance use is causing identifiable clinical complications. Querying for additional specificity is recommended to support optimal risk adjustment.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Provider documentation of inhalant use, specifying the type of inhalant when known (e.g., toluene, gasoline, aerosol propellants, nitrites)
- ✓Clinical documentation supporting dependence criteria: tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, compulsive use despite harm, or inability to control use
- ✓Assessment and plan addressing the substance use disorder with treatment approach documented
Commonly Confused Codes
- •F18.10 (Inhalant abuse, uncomplicated): abuse indicates a less severe use pattern without meeting full dependence criteria; dependence requires documented tolerance, withdrawal, or compulsive use
- •F18.920-F18.99 (Inhalant use, unspecified): use when the pattern of use (abuse vs. dependence) is not documented; dependence codes require explicit documentation of dependence
- •F19.x codes (Other psychoactive substance use): F19 is for substances other than inhalants; use F18 specifically when the substance is an inhalant