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I75.029 ICD-10-CM Code: Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity

I75.029 maps to CMS-HCC V28 264 (RAF 0.455). Documentation must support MEAT. MEAT criteria · RAF calculator · HCC coding software

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FY 2026 Apr update / Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) / Diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries (I70-I79)

I75.029

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

Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity

Cholesterol crystals or plaque fragments break loose from arteries and lodge in blood vessels of a leg, but the specific leg is not documented.

Buddy the Bee presenting code insight

Buddy Insight

Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity captures cholesterol embolization to the lower limb when laterality has not been documented.

CMS-HCC V28

HCC 264

RAF 0.455

CMS-HCC V24

HCC 107

RAF 0.383

ACA/HHS

HCC 154

Varies by metal level

ESRD/PACE

HCC 107

RAF 0.144

RXHCC

N/A

—

Not mapped

Code Book Path

Official
I75.0Atheroembolism of extremities
I75.02Atheroembolism of lower extremity
I75.029Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity

Inclusion Terms

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list inclusion terms for I75.029 in this effective period.

Excludes 2

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 2 notes for I75.029 in this effective period.

Related Child Codes

Official
I75.021Atheroembolism of right lower extremity
I75.022Atheroembolism of left lower extremity
I75.023Atheroembolism of bilateral lower extremities

Includes

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Includes notes for I75.029 in this effective period.

Excludes 1

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Excludes 1 notes for I75.029 in this effective period.

Code First

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code First sequencing instructions for I75.029 in this effective period.

Use Additional

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Use Additional Code instructions for I75.029 in this effective period.

Code Also

Official

ICD-10-CM does not list Code Also instructions for I75.029 in this effective period.

Buddy Documentation Tip

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of atheroembolism affecting a lower extremity
Query provider for laterality specification
Clinical findings of cholesterol embolization
Source identification and precipitating factors

MEAT Support

HCC Buddy guidance
Documentation of atheroembolism affecting a lower extremity
Query provider for laterality specification
Clinical findings of cholesterol embolization
Source identification and precipitating factors

Audit Caution

HCC Buddy guidance
Accepting unspecified laterality without reviewing physical examination findings that identify the affected side
Using this code when physical exam, wound care notes, or imaging clearly specify laterality
Confusing lower extremity atheroembolism with diabetic foot complications or venous stasis disease
Not querying the provider when blue toe syndrome is documented without specifying which foot

Common Mistakes

HCC Buddy guidance
I75.021 — Atheroembolism of right lower extremity: use when right side is documented
I75.022 — Atheroembolism of left lower extremity: use when left side is documented
I75.023 — Atheroembolism of bilateral lower extremities: use when both sides are affected
I74.3 — Embolism and thrombosis of arteries of the lower extremities: general arterial thromboembolism

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 I75.029 an HCC code?

Yes. I75.029 (Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity) maps to Vascular Disease with Complications under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model (and Vascular Disease with Complications under V24), with a community non-dual aged RAF of 0.455. It is billable for payment year 2026.

Coder answer: I75.029 is billable and maps to V28 HCC 264, Vascular Disease with Complications. Open it in the Code Book for the tabular path, RAF, and MEAT checklist.

Code
I75.029
Description
Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity
HCC (V28)
HCC 264 — Vascular Disease with Complications
RAF
0.455
Billable
Yes
Payment year
2026

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 264, Vascular Disease with Complications
0.455
V24HCC 107, Vascular Disease with Complications
0.383
ESRDHCC 107, Vascular Disease with Complications
0.144

Each model's RAF is its CMS base weight for that model's standard population, so 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 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.

Work I75.029 in the Code Book — tabular path, V28 RAF, and MEAT checklist →

MEAT Criteria for I75.029

For I75.029 to 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 I75.029 during that encounter, not just copy-forwarded from a problem list.

Coder workflow notes

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What This Code Means

I75.029 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity. Cholesterol crystals or plaque fragments break loose from arteries and lodge in blood vessels of a leg, but the specific leg is not documented. I75.029 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the circulatory system (i00-i99), within the section covering diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries (i70-i79).

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, I75.029 maps to Vascular Disease with Complications (HCC 264) with a community, non-dual, aged base RAF weight of 0.455. Under the older V24 model, I75.029 mapped to the same category but with a base RAF weight of 0.383, 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.

Use only when laterality is not specified in documentation. Because I75.029 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 I75.029 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Coding Tips

  • •Use only when laterality is not specified in documentation
  • •Request clarification from provider regarding which lower extremity is affected

Clinical Significance

Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity captures cholesterol embolization to the lower limb when laterality has not been documented. This is the most commonly affected territory for atheroembolism, and the lack of laterality specification should prompt documentation improvement. The condition still reflects severe atherosclerotic disease requiring comprehensive vascular management.

Documentation Requirements

  • ✓Documentation of atheroembolism affecting a lower extremity
  • ✓Query provider for laterality specification
  • ✓Clinical findings of cholesterol embolization
  • ✓Source identification and precipitating factors
  • ✓Assessment for systemic involvement
  • ✓Treatment documentation

Commonly Confused Codes

  • •I75.021: Atheroembolism of right lower extremity: use when right side is documented
  • •I75.022: Atheroembolism of left lower extremity: use when left side is documented
  • •I75.023: Atheroembolism of bilateral lower extremities: use when both sides are affected
  • •I74.3: Embolism and thrombosis of arteries of the lower extremities: general arterial thromboembolism

Child Codes

I75.021Atheroembolism of right lower extremity
HCC 264
I75.022Atheroembolism of left lower extremity
HCC 264
I75.023Atheroembolism of bilateral lower extremities
HCC 264
I75.029Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity
HCC 264

Code Hierarchy

└I75Atheroembolism└I75.0Atheroembolism of extremities└I75.02Atheroembolism of lower extremity└I75.029Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity
└I75.029Atheroembolism of unspecified lower extremity

Because I75.029 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.

I75.029 maps to CMS-HCC V28 category 264, Vascular Disease with Complications. See the ICD-10 to HCC mapping hub for how the V28 crosswalk works. Because I75.029 carries a payment HCC, you can see what it adds to a RAF score and check the documentation the chart needs before it is submitted.

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