G81.02 ICD-10-CM Code: Flaccid hemiplegia affecting left dominant side
G81.02 maps to CMS-HCC V28 253. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools
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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the nervous system (G00-G99) / Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes (G80-G83)
G81.02
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceFlaccid hemiplegia affecting left dominant side
Weakness or loss of movement on one side of the body (left side) with loose, floppy muscles, typically resulting from stroke or brain injury, in a person whose left side is their dominant side.
Buddy Insight
Flaccid hemiplegia affecting the left dominant side captures a less common but equally debilitating presentation in left-handed patients who lose function and tone in their dominant extremities.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 253
Coefficient HCC 253: 0.387 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))
CMS-HCC V24
HistoricalHistorical
Not used for CY2026 payment
ACA/HHS
MappedHCC 150
Code-level coefficient reference
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 103
Code-level coefficient reference
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialNo inclusion terms are included in this display for G81.02. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 2
Official- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from G00-G99
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from G00-G99
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from G00-G99
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from G00-G99
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from G00-G99
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)Inherited from G00-G99
- neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from G00-G99
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from G00-G99
Related Codes
Includes
OfficialNo Includes notes are included in this display for G81.02. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 1
Official- congenital cerebral palsy (G80.-)Inherited from G81
- hemiplegia and hemiparesis due to sequela of cerebrovascular disease (I69.05-, I69.15-, I69.25-, I69.35-, I69.85-, I69.95-)Inherited from G81
Code First
OfficialNo Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for G81.02. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Use Additional
OfficialNo Use Additional Code instructions are included in this display for G81.02. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for G81.02. 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 G81.02 an HCC code?
Yes. G81.02 (Flaccid hemiplegia affecting left dominant side) maps to HCC 253, Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.387. 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: G81.02 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 253, Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.
- Code
- G81.02
- Description
- Flaccid hemiplegia affecting left dominant side
- HCC (V28)
- HCC 253 — Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis
- RAF reference coefficient
- 0.387
- 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 G81.02 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →
MEAT review for G81.02
For G81.02, 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
G81.02 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for flaccid hemiplegia affecting left dominant side. Weakness or loss of movement on one side of the body (left side) with loose, floppy muscles, typically resulting from stroke or brain injury, in a person whose left side is their dominant side. G81.02 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the nervous system (g00-g99), within the section covering cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes (g80-g83).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, G81.02 maps to Hemiplegia/Hemiparesis (HCC 253) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.387. 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.
Verify documentation specifies 'flaccid' type and confirms left dominance before coding. For G81.02, 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 G81.02 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Verify documentation specifies 'flaccid' type and confirms left dominance before coding
- •Ensure the underlying cause (stroke, trauma, etc.) is also coded separately
Clinical Significance
Flaccid hemiplegia affecting the left dominant side captures a less common but equally debilitating presentation in left-handed patients who lose function and tone in their dominant extremities. This has severe functional consequences for fine motor tasks and daily independence. Documenting left dominance is clinically important because it impacts rehabilitation goals and functional prognosis differently than nondominant involvement.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation of flaccid (low tone) hemiplegia
- ✓Left side specified as the affected side
- ✓Patient confirmed as left-hand dominant
- ✓Underlying etiology documented and coded separately
- ✓Neurological examination findings
- ✓Functional impact assessment
- ✓Active management and rehabilitation plan
Commonly Confused Codes
- •G81.04 Flaccid hemiplegia affecting left nondominant side: left side affected in a right-handed person (much more common)
- •G81.12 Spastic hemiplegia affecting left dominant side: same laterality but spastic rather than flaccid
- •G81.92 Hemiplegia, unspecified affecting left dominant side: use when tone type is not specified
- •I69.052 Hemiplegia following cerebrovascular disease, left dominant: use for stroke sequelae