Question 1

What is ICD-10 code H16.003?

Accepted Answer

H16.003 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Unspecified corneal ulcer, bilateral. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the eye and adnexa (h00-h59). H16.003 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. H16.003 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.

Question 2

Is H16.003 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. H16.003 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to any payment HCC category under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can still be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions, but it does not contribute to the beneficiary's Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) score and therefore does not affect the risk-adjusted capitation payment to the plan. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026.

Question 3

Is H16.003 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. H16.003 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. H16.003 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.

Question 4

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for H16.003?

Accepted Answer

H16.003 does not map to a payment HCC under either the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model or the older V24 model. V28 reached 100% phase-in for payment year 2026, replacing V24 which was used during the PY2024–PY2025 transition. Because neither model rewards H16.003 with a risk adjustment factor, it contributes zero to a Medicare Advantage beneficiary's RAF score in either version. Coders should check whether provider documentation supports a more specific child code that does map to a payment HCC.

Question 5

What should coders know when reporting H16.003?

Accepted Answer

Verify documentation specifies bilateral involvement; if only one eye is affected, use H16.001 (right eye) or H16.002 (left eye) instead If the corneal ulcer type is documented (bacterial, fungal, viral, or traumatic), use a more specific code from the H16.0 subcategory rather than the unspecified code

HCC Buddy Code Card

H16.003

Is H16.003 an HCC code?

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Open H16.003 in the Interactive Encoder

H16.003 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified corneal ulcer, bilateral

HCC Buddy Code Card

H16.003

Is H16.003 an HCC code?

What This Code Means

Coding Tips

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Open H16.003 in the Interactive Encoder