G95.29
BillableOther cord compression
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)
Is G95.29 an HCC code?
Yes. G95.29 maps to Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries under V24).
HCC Category Mapping
RAF weights shown are the community, non-dual, aged base weights from the CMS risk adjustment model file. 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.
MEAT Criteria for G95.29
For G95.29to 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 G95.29 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
G95.29 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other cord compression. Pressure on the spinal cord from various causes such as tumors, herniated discs, or bone fragments, leading to pain, weakness, or paralysis. G95.29 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the nervous system (g00-g99), within the section covering other disorders of the nervous system (g89-g99).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, G95.29 maps to Spinal Cord Disorders/Injuries (HCC 182) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.282. Under the older V24 model, G95.29 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.464 — 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.
Identify and code the underlying cause of compression (neoplasm, disc herniation, fracture, etc.) separately. Because G95.29 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 G95.29 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Identify and code the underlying cause of compression (neoplasm, disc herniation, fracture, etc.) separately
- •Document the level of compression and severity of neurological symptoms
Clinical Significance
Other cord compression captures spinal cord compression from specified causes that do not have their own dedicated ICD-10-CM code, such as compression from epidural abscess, epidural hematoma, or other specified space-occupying lesions. This code is more specific than unspecified cord compression and should be used when the cause is identified but does not map to a more specific code. Prompt identification and treatment is critical to prevent permanent neurological deficit.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging demonstrating spinal cord compression with identification of the compressing lesion
- ✓Specification of the cause of compression that makes it 'other' rather than unspecified
- ✓Neurological examination findings documenting myelopathic signs
- ✓Level and extent of cord compression documented
- ✓Treatment plan including any surgical decompression performed or planned
Commonly Confused Codes
- •G95.20 — Unspecified cord compression: use only when the specific cause of compression is truly unknown
- •M47.10 — Other spondylosis with myelopathy: when degenerative changes cause cord compression
- •G06.1 — Epidural abscess: may be the underlying cause, coded separately from the cord compression
- •C79.49 — Metastatic disease of other parts of nervous system: spinal metastases causing cord compression should be coded with the neoplasm code