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Q56

Non-Billable (Header)

Indeterminate sex and pseudohermaphroditism

Last updated: FY2026 ICD-10-CM (Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026) | CMS-HCC V28 (100% phase-in, PY2026)

What This Code Means

Q56 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for indeterminate sex and pseudohermaphroditism. Q56 sits in the ICD-10-CM chapter for congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders (q00-qa0), within the section covering congenital malformations of genital organs (q50-q56).

Header codes like Q56 cannot be reported on claims directly — they organize child codes that share clinical context but the actual diagnosis must be coded to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation. Coders should look at Q56's child codes and select the one that matches the patient's documented presentation, since payers reject header codes submitted as the primary diagnosis. For risk adjustment workflows, header codes never contribute to a Medicare Advantage member's RAF score on their own; only billable child codes that happen to map to a payment HCC affect risk-adjusted plan payments.

HCC Buddy maintains structured V28 and V24 mapping, RAF weights, and MEAT documentation criteria for Q56 sourced directly from the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model files and the CMS ICD-10-CM code set.

Excludes 1 — Do NOT code together

  • 46,XX true hermaphrodite (Q99.1)
  • androgen insensitivity syndrome (E34.5-)
  • chimera 46,XX/46,XY true hermaphrodite (Q99.0)
  • female pseudohermaphroditism with adrenocortical disorder (E25.-)
  • pseudohermaphroditism with specified chromosomal anomaly (Q96-Q99)
  • pure gonadal dysgenesis (Q99.1)

Child Codes

Code Hierarchy

Q56Indeterminate sex and pseudohermaphroditism
Q56Indeterminate sex and pseudohermaphroditism

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