Question 1

What is ICD-10 code N05.9?

Accepted Answer

N05.9 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified nephritic syndrome with unspecified morphologic changes. A kidney disease with inflammation and protein in the urine where the specific type of glomerular damage has not been identified or specified. N05.9 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for diseases of the genitourinary system (n00-n99), within the section covering glomerular diseases (n00-n08).

N05.9 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.

This is the least specific code in the N05 category; use only when morphologic findings are truly unknown or not yet determined.

Question 2

Is N05.9 an HCC code?

Accepted Answer

No. N05.9 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 N05.9 billable?

Accepted Answer

Yes. N05.9 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. N05.9 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 N05.9?

Accepted Answer

N05.9 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 N05.9 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 N05.9?

Accepted Answer

This is the least specific code in the N05 category; use only when morphologic findings are truly unknown or not yet determined Query the provider if pathology results are available, as a more specific code may be appropriate

N05.9

Is N05.9 an HCC code?

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Open N05.9 in the Interactive Encoder