HCC Buddy Code Card
Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.
FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) / Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)
I62.9
Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidanceNontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, unspecified
Bleeding inside the skull or brain from causes other than trauma, but the specific type or location is not documented.
Buddy Insight
Nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, unspecified, is the least specific code in the intracranial hemorrhage category and is used when documentation does not allow determination of the type or location of bleeding within the skull.
CMS-HCC V28
MappedHCC 248
RAF 0.289
CMS-HCC V24
MappedHCC 99
RAF 0.262
ACA/HHS
00
RAF 0
ESRD/PACE
MappedHCC 99
RAF 0.0
RXHCC
00
RAF 0
Code Trumping
Basket needed
Code Book Path
Inclusion Terms
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for I62.9 in this effective period.
Excludes 2
Official- sequelae of intracranial hemorrhage (I69.2)
Related Child Codes
Includes
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for I62.9 in this effective period.
Excludes 1
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for I62.9 in this effective period.
Code First
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for I62.9 in this effective period.
Use Additional
Official- code, if known, to indicate National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (R29.7-)
Code Also
OfficialICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for I62.9 in this effective period.
Buddy Documentation Tip
MEAT Support
Audit Caution
Common Mistakes
Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM Apr update, Apr 1, 2026 through Sep 30, 2026. CMS-HCC V28 is 100% phased in for payment year 2026.
Is I62.9 an HCC code?
Yes. I62.9 maps to Cerebral Hemorrhage under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Intracranial Hemorrhage 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 I62.9
For I62.9to 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 I62.9 during that encounter — not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.
What This Code Means
I62.9 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, unspecified. Bleeding inside the skull or brain from causes other than trauma, but the specific type or location is not documented. I62.9 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the circulatory system (i00-i99), within the section covering cerebrovascular diseases (i60-i69).
Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, I62.9 maps to Cerebral Hemorrhage (HCC 248) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.289. Under the older CMS-HCC V24 model, I62.9 maps to Intracranial Hemorrhage (HCC 99) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.262. 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.
This is the least specific intracranial hemorrhage code; query provider for more specific location when possible. Because I62.9 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 I62.9 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.
Coding Tips
Clinical Significance
Nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, unspecified, is the least specific code in the intracranial hemorrhage category and is used when documentation does not allow determination of the type or location of bleeding within the skull. While it captures the same HCC weight, this code indicates a significant documentation improvement opportunity. It still represents a serious acute condition requiring intensive care.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging or clinical evidence of intracranial hemorrhage
- ✓Documentation that the hemorrhage is nontraumatic
- ✓Documentation explaining why the specific type or location cannot be determined
- ✓Clinical presentation and neurological status
- ✓Treatment plan and monitoring approach
- ✓Plan for follow-up imaging to better characterize the hemorrhage
Commonly Confused Codes
- •I61.9 — Unspecified intracerebral hemorrhage; more specific as it identifies brain parenchyma
- •I60.9 — Unspecified subarachnoid hemorrhage; more specific as it identifies subarachnoid space
- •I62.00 — Unspecified subdural hemorrhage; more specific as it identifies subdural location
- •S06.9 — Unspecified intracranial injury; different code series for traumatic causes