G83.81 ICD-10-CM Code: Brown-Sequard syndrome
G83.81 maps to CMS-HCC V28 254 (RAF 0.321). Documentation must support MEAT. 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)
G83.81
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceBrown-Sequard syndrome
A spinal cord injury pattern causing weakness or paralysis on one side of the body and loss of pain/temperature sensation on the opposite side.
Buddy Insight
Brown-Sequard syndrome is a distinctive spinal cord injury pattern resulting from hemisection of the spinal cord, producing ipsilateral motor paralysis and loss of proprioception with contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 254
RAF 0.321
CMS-HCC V24
MappedHCC 104
RAF 0.331
ACA/HHS
MappedHCC 151
Varies by metal level
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 104
RAF 0.047
RXHCC
N/A—
Not mapped
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for G83.81 in this effective period.
Excludes 2
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for G83.81 in this effective period.
Related Child Codes
Includes
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for G83.81 in this effective period.
Excludes 1
Official- paralytic syndromes due to current spinal cord injury-code to spinal cord injury (S14, S24, S34)
Code First
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for G83.81 in this effective period.
Use Additional
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for G83.81 in this effective period.
Code Also
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for G83.81 in this effective period.
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 G83.81 an HCC code?
Yes. G83.81 (Brown-Sequard syndrome) maps to Monoplegia, Other Paralytic Syndromes under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Monoplegia, Other Paralytic Syndromes under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.321. It is billable for payment year 2026.
Coder answer: G83.81 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 254, Monoplegia, Other Paralytic Syndromes. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.
- Code
- G83.81
- Description
- Brown-Sequard syndrome
- HCC (V28)
- HCC 254 — Monoplegia, Other Paralytic Syndromes
- RAF
- 0.321
- Billable
- Yes
- Payment year
- 2026
HCC Category Mapping
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 G83.81 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →
MEAT Criteria for G83.81
For G83.81 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 G83.81 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
Coder workflow notes
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What This Code Means
G83.81 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for brown-sequard syndrome. A spinal cord injury pattern causing weakness or paralysis on one side of the body and loss of pain/temperature sensation on the opposite side. G83.81 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, G83.81 maps to Monoplegia, Other Paralytic Syndromes (HCC 254) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.321. Under the older V24 model, G83.81 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.331, 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.
Document the level of spinal cord involvement and which side is affected for complete coding. Because G83.81 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 G83.81 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Document the level of spinal cord involvement and which side is affected for complete coding
- •Identify the underlying cause (trauma, tumor, infection) as it may require additional coding
Clinical Significance
Brown-Sequard syndrome is a distinctive spinal cord injury pattern resulting from hemisection of the spinal cord, producing ipsilateral motor paralysis and loss of proprioception with contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation. This characteristic crossed pattern is clinically important for localizing the lesion and planning rehabilitation. Among incomplete spinal cord injuries, Brown-Sequard syndrome generally has the best prognosis for recovery of ambulation.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Explicit documentation of Brown-Sequard syndrome
- ✓Description of the characteristic crossed neurological findings
- ✓Spinal cord level of the lesion
- ✓Underlying etiology (trauma, tumor, disc herniation, demyelination, vascular)
- ✓Motor and sensory examination findings on both sides
- ✓Functional status and ambulatory potential
- ✓Active treatment and rehabilitation plan
Commonly Confused Codes
- •G83.82 Anterior cord syndrome: different spinal cord injury pattern (bilateral motor loss with bilateral pain/temperature loss)
- •G83.83 Posterior cord syndrome: different pattern (proprioceptive loss with preserved motor function)
- •G81.00-G81.94 Hemiplegia codes: brain-level lesion, not spinal cord hemisection
- •G83.89 Other specified paralytic syndromes: less specific; use G83.81 when Brown-Sequard is documented
- •S14-S34 Spinal cord injury codes: use for the acute traumatic injury itself