What is ICD-10 code I63.19?

I63.19 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for Cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral artery. It belongs to the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the circulatory system (i00-i99). I63.19 is a billable code, meaning it can be reported on a claim as a primary or secondary diagnosis when supported by documentation. I63.19 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.

Yes. I63.19 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. I63.19 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.

What is the V28 vs V24 difference for I63.19?

CMS phased in the V28 risk adjustment model over payment years 2024 (33%), 2025 (67%), and 2026 (100%), replacing V24. V28 consolidates HCC categories, removes some lower-acuity conditions, and recalibrates RAF weights across the entire model. For I63.19, V28 maps to Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke at RAF 0.289 while V24 mapped to Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke at RAF 0.262. Both models can still appear in legacy data and in payer-specific lookback periods.

What should coders know when reporting I63.19?

Verify the specific precerebral artery involved (such as subclavian or innominate artery) in the documentation, as this affects specificity and may require additional codes Ensure the embolism source is documented; you may need to assign additional codes for the underlying cause (e.g., atrial fibrillation, cardiac source) to capture the complete clinical picture Because I63.19 maps to a payment HCC, the documentation must also satisfy MEAT criteria (Monitor, Evaluate, Assess, or Treat) for the encounter to count toward the patient's risk adjustment score.

I63.19 ICD-10 Code: Cerebral infarction due

ICD-10-CM Code View

HCC Buddy Code Card

Digital ICD-10 code-book layout with official code detail, always-visible risk models, Code Trumping, and Buddy coding guidance.

Code lookupI63.19Effective periodFY2026 Apr Update (Apr 1-Sep 30)

FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) / Cerebrovascular diseases (I60-I69)

I63.19

Billable / SpecificICD-10-CMOfficial ICD-10-CMCodebook guidance

Cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral artery

A stroke caused by a blood clot that travels through an artery in the neck or upper chest and blocks blood flow to the brain. This type of stroke occurs when the clot originates from a precerebral artery (arteries leading to the brain) other than the carotid or vertebral arteries.

Buddy Insight

Cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral arteries captures embolic strokes involving precerebral vessels not specifically classified (other than vertebral, basilar, or carotid).

CMS-HCC V28

Mapped

HCC 249

Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

RAF 0.289

CMS-HCC V24

Mapped

HCC 100

Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

RAF 0.262

ACA/HHS

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

ESRD/PACE

Mapped

HCC 100

Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

RAF 0.0

RXHCC

Not risk-adjusted for this model/period.

RAF 0

Code Trumping

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Code Book Path

Official

I63Cerebral infarction

I63.1Cerebral infarction due to embolism of precerebral arteries

I63.19Cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral artery

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for I63.19 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for I63.19 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official

I63.10Cerebral infarction due to embolism of unspecified precerebral artery

I63.11Cerebral infarction due to embolism of vertebral artery

I63.12Cerebral infarction due to embolism of basilar artery

I63.13Cerebral infarction due to embolism of carotid artery

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for I63.19 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for I63.19 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for I63.19 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for I63.19 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for I63.19 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance

Imaging confirmation of acute cerebral infarction

Vascular imaging identifying the specific precerebral artery involved

Documentation that the artery is not vertebral, basilar, or carotid

Documentation of embolic mechanism

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance

Imaging confirmation of acute cerebral infarction

Vascular imaging identifying the specific precerebral artery involved

Documentation that the artery is not vertebral, basilar, or carotid

Documentation of embolic mechanism

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance

Using this code when the involved artery actually has a specific code in the I63 series

Not documenting which specific 'other' artery is involved

Confusing precerebral arteries with cerebral arteries (I63.4x codes)

Not distinguishing embolism from thrombosis as the mechanism

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance

I63.10 — Embolism of unspecified precerebral artery; artery not identified at all

I63.11x — Embolism of vertebral artery; specific artery with its own code

I63.12 — Embolism of basilar artery; specific artery with its own code

I63.13x — Embolism of carotid artery; specific artery with its own code

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 I63.19 an HCC code?

Yes. I63.19 maps to Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke under V24).

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 249, Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

0.289

V24HCC 100, Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

0.262

ESRDHCC 100, Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke

0.000

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 I63.19

For I63.19to 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 I63.19 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

What This Code Means

I63.19 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral artery. A stroke caused by a blood clot that travels through an artery in the neck or upper chest and blocks blood flow to the brain. This type of stroke occurs when the clot originates from a precerebral artery (arteries leading to the brain) other than the carotid or vertebral arteries. I63.19 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, I63.19 maps to Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke (HCC 249) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.289. Under the older V24 model, I63.19 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.262, 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.

Verify the specific precerebral artery involved (such as subclavian or innominate artery) in the documentation, as this affects specificity and may require additional codes. Because I63.19 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 I63.19 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

•Verify the specific precerebral artery involved (such as subclavian or innominate artery) in the documentation, as this affects specificity and may require additional codes
•Ensure the embolism source is documented; you may need to assign additional codes for the underlying cause (e.g., atrial fibrillation, cardiac source) to capture the complete clinical picture

Clinical Significance

Cerebral infarction due to embolism of other precerebral arteries captures embolic strokes involving precerebral vessels not specifically classified (other than vertebral, basilar, or carotid). This may include the subclavian artery, innominate artery, or other cervical vessels. Understanding the specific artery helps identify the embolic pathway and guides treatment. The code is important for risk adjustment in managed care populations.

Documentation Requirements

✓Imaging confirmation of acute cerebral infarction
✓Vascular imaging identifying the specific precerebral artery involved
✓Documentation that the artery is not vertebral, basilar, or carotid
✓Documentation of embolic mechanism
✓Embolic source evaluation
✓Treatment plan and secondary prevention strategy

Commonly Confused Codes

•I63.10: Embolism of unspecified precerebral artery; artery not identified at all
•I63.11x: Embolism of vertebral artery; specific artery with its own code
•I63.12: Embolism of basilar artery; specific artery with its own code
•I63.13x: Embolism of carotid artery; specific artery with its own code
•I63.09: Thrombosis of other precerebral artery; different mechanism