Question 1

What is ICD-10 code H31.022?

Accepted Answer

H31.022 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for solar retinopathy, left eye. Damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the left eye caused by direct exposure to sunlight, typically from looking at the sun without protection. H31.022 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the eye and adnexa (h00-h59), within the section covering disorders of choroid and retina (h30-h36).

H31.022 is a billable ICD-10-CM code but does not map to a payment HCC under the CMS-HCC V28, V24, ESRD, or RxHCC risk adjustment models. It can be reported on Medicare Advantage encounter data submissions but it does not contribute to a beneficiary's RAF score and therefore does not affect risk-adjusted payments to the plan.

Confirm left eye involvement in clinical documentation before coding to avoid laterality errors.

Question 2

Is H31.022 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. H31.022 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 H31.022 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. H31.022 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. H31.022 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 H31.022?

Accepted Answer

H31.022 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 H31.022 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 H31.022?

Accepted Answer

Confirm left eye involvement in clinical documentation before coding to avoid laterality errors Consider documenting the mechanism of injury (eclipse viewing, welding without protection, etc.) for clinical clarity

HCC Buddy Code Card

H31.022

Is H31.022 an HCC code?

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H31.022 ICD-10-CM Code: Solar retinopathy, left eye

HCC Buddy Code Card

H31.022

Is H31.022 an HCC code?

What This Code Means

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Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Open H31.022 in the Interactive Encoder