I48.3 ICD-10-CM Code: Typical atrial flutter
I48.3 maps to CMS-HCC V28 238. A source-labeled RAF reference is available. Confirm the documented diagnosis and applicable coding requirements. MEAT criteria · RAF Calculator · free HCC coding tools
HCC Buddy Code Card
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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) / Other forms of heart disease (I30-I5A)
I48.3
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceTypical atrial flutter
A rapid, regular irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart characterized by a distinctive sawtooth pattern on an electrocardiogram.
Buddy Insight
Typical atrial flutter is a macro-reentrant atrial arrhythmia involving the cavotricuspid isthmus, producing a characteristic sawtooth pattern on electrocardiogram.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 238
Coefficient HCC 238: 0.299 (Community Non-Dual Aged (CNA))
CMS-HCC V24
HistoricalHistorical
Not used for CY2026 payment
ACA/HHS
MappedHCC 142
Code-level coefficient reference
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 96
Code-level coefficient reference
RXHCC
MappedHCC 193
Code-level coefficient reference
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
Official- Type I atrial flutter
Excludes 2
Official- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)Inherited from I00-I99
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)Inherited from I00-I99
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)Inherited from I00-I99
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Inherited from I00-I99
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)Inherited from I00-I99
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)Inherited from I00-I99
- neoplasms (C00-D49)Inherited from I00-I99
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)Inherited from I00-I99
- systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)Inherited from I00-I99
- transient cerebral ischemic attacks and related syndromes (G45.-)Inherited from I00-I99
Related Codes
Includes
OfficialNo Includes notes are included in this display for I48.3. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Excludes 1
OfficialNo Excludes 1 notes are included in this display for I48.3. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code First
OfficialNo Code First sequencing instructions are included in this display for I48.3. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Use Additional
OfficialNo Use Additional Code instructions are included in this display for I48.3. Check the code and parent instructions in the Code Book.
Code Also
OfficialNo Code Also instructions are included in this display for I48.3. 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 I48.3 an HCC code?
Yes. I48.3 (Typical atrial flutter) maps to HCC 238, Specified Heart Arrhythmias under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, with a source-labeled community non-dual aged reference coefficient of 0.299. 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: I48.3 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 238, Specified Heart Arrhythmias. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.
- Code
- I48.3
- Description
- Typical atrial flutter
- HCC (V28)
- HCC 238 — Specified Heart Arrhythmias
- RAF reference coefficient
- 0.299
- 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 I48.3 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF reference, and MEAT checklist →
MEAT review for I48.3
For I48.3, 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
I48.3 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for typical atrial flutter. A rapid, regular irregular heartbeat in the upper chambers of the heart characterized by a distinctive sawtooth pattern on an electrocardiogram. I48.3 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the circulatory system (i00-i99), within the section covering other forms of heart disease (i30-i5a).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, I48.3 maps to Specified Heart Arrhythmias (HCC 238) with a source-labeled community, non-dual, aged reference coefficient of 0.299. 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.
Typical atrial flutter requires ECG documentation of counterclockwise flutter around the tricuspid annulus, or a provider statement identifying typical (type I) flutter. Distinct from AFib, flutter and fib are not interchangeable codes. For I48.3, 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 I48.3 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
- •Typical atrial flutter requires ECG documentation of counterclockwise flutter around the tricuspid annulus, or a provider statement identifying typical (type I) flutter. Distinct from AFib, flutter and fib are not interchangeable codes.
- •Do not code typical flutter as AFib. The two arrhythmias behave differently clinically and carry different ablation paths; miscoding is both an audit and a clinical-accuracy issue.
- •Same HCC as AFib but coded distinctly from the I48.0/I48.1x/I48.2x/I48.9x families.
Clinical Significance
Typical atrial flutter is a macro-reentrant atrial arrhythmia involving the cavotricuspid isthmus, producing a characteristic sawtooth pattern on electrocardiogram. It is highly amenable to catheter ablation with cure rates exceeding 90%. While distinct from atrial fibrillation, it carries similar stroke risk and anticoagulation requirements.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Provider diagnosis of typical (cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent) atrial flutter
- ✓Electrocardiogram showing sawtooth flutter waves, typically with 2:1 or 4:1 conduction
- ✓Ventricular rate and hemodynamic stability documented
- ✓Stroke risk assessment and anticoagulation plan
- ✓Treatment approach (rate control, rhythm control, catheter ablation consideration)
Commonly Confused Codes
- •I48.4: Atypical atrial flutter; does not involve the cavotricuspid isthmus, different ablation approach
- •I48.0: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; irregular rhythm, not organized flutter waves
- •I48.92: Unspecified atrial flutter; use only when typical vs atypical cannot be determined
- •I47.10: Supraventricular tachycardia, unspecified; different arrhythmia mechanism