Relative factors by segment
Each segment is a separate regression; the factor is added to the beneficiary's demographic factors and other categories, then normalized and reduced by the coding intensity adjustment before it meets the plan's base rate. A factor of 1.000 equals the expected cost of an average beneficiary.
| Segment | Model code | Relative factor |
|---|---|---|
| Community, non-dual, aged | CNA_HCC18 | 2.341 |
| Community, non-dual, disabled | CND_HCC18 | 2.486 |
| Community, full-benefit dual, aged | CFA_HCC18 | 2.277 |
| Community, full-benefit dual, disabled | CFD_HCC18 | 2.537 |
| Community, partial-benefit dual, aged | CPA_HCC18 | 2.166 |
| Community, partial-benefit dual, disabled | CPD_HCC18 | 2.403 |
| Long-term institutional | INS_HCC18 | 1.110 |
Hierarchy
Hierarchical condition categories pay only the most severe manifestation of a disease. When HCC 17 (Cancer Metastatic to Lung, Liver, Brain, and Other Organs; Acute Myeloid Leukemia Except Promyelocytic) is also documented for the same beneficiary, HCC 18 is dropped from the score. When HCC 18 is present it drops HCC 19 (Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Multiple Myeloma, and Other Cancers), HCC 20 (Lung and Other Severe Cancers), HCC 21 (Lymphoma and Other Cancers), HCC 22 (Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers), HCC 23 (Prostate, Breast, and Other Cancers and Tumors), so documenting the less severe condition alongside it adds nothing to payment but still matters for the clinical record.
ICD-10-CM codes that map to HCC 18
26 codes map to this category in the PY2027 initial mapping, concentrated in the C79 (14), C77 (5), C91 (3), C95 (3), C80 (1) code families. Descriptions are the CMS mapping descriptions for the FY2026 code set; a code that is deleted or split in the October code update stays valid for dates of service before the change.
| ICD-10-CM | Description |
|---|---|
| C770 | Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes of head, face and neck |
| C772 | Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of intra-abdominal lymph nodes |
| C774 | Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of inguinal and lower limb lymph nodes |
| C775 | Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of intrapelvic lymph nodes |
| C779 | Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymph node, unspecified |
| C7910 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified urinary organs |
| C7911 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of bladder |
| C7919 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of other urinary organs |
| C792 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of skin |
| C7951 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone |
| C7952 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of bone marrow |
| C7960 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified ovary |
| C7961 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of right ovary |
| C7962 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of left ovary |
| C7963 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of bilateral ovaries |
| C7981 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of breast |
| C7982 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of genital organs |
| C7989 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of other specified sites |
| C799 | Secondary malignant neoplasm of unspecified site |
| C800 | Disseminated malignant neoplasm, unspecified |
| C9100 | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia not having achieved remission |
| C9101 | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in remission |
| C9102 | Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in relapse |
| C9500 | Acute leukemia of unspecified cell type not having achieved remission |
| C9501 | Acute leukemia of unspecified cell type, in remission |
| C9502 | Acute leukemia of unspecified cell type, in relapse |
Where these codes sat in the V22 model
The V28 recalibration renumbered and regrouped categories; this table shows which legacy V22 categories the same ICD-10 codes belonged to, which is the quickest way to reconcile a V22-era HCC gap list with the current model.
| V22 HCC | Codes |
|---|---|
| 8 | 22 |
| 10 | 4 |
Capturing and defending the category
A category counts for a payment year when a mapped diagnosis is documented at least once during the data collection year by an acceptable provider type at a face-to-face or audio-video encounter, and when the note shows the condition was monitored, evaluated, assessed or treated. Chronic conditions do not carry forward: a category that is not re-documented in the year drops out of the score, which is why annual wellness visits and problem-list reconciliation are where most recapture happens. Risk adjustment data validation audits sample enrollees and ask for the medical record behind each submitted category; an unsupported category is removed and, under the extrapolation rules, the error rate is applied across the contract. The QuickIntell risk adjustment product surfaces suspected and unsupported categories from the chart, and the HCC hub lists every V28 category with its factor and code count.
Frequently asked questions
Which ICD-10 codes map to HCC 18?
26 ICD-10-CM codes map to HCC 18 in the CMS PY2027 initial mapping, for example C770 Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of lymph nodes of head, face and neck; C772 Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of intra-abdominal lymph nodes; C774 Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of inguinal and lower limb lymph nodes; C775 Secondary and unspecified malignant neoplasm of intrapelvic lymph nodes. The full list is on this page; a code counts only when it is documented at a face-to-face or video encounter in the data collection year and supported by the record.
How much does HCC 18 add to a risk score?
The V28 relative factor for HCC 18 is 2.341 for a community, non-dual, aged beneficiary, 2.277 for full-benefit dual aged, 2.486 for non-dual disabled and 1.110 for long-term institutional members. A factor of 1.000 equals the expected annual cost of an average beneficiary, so the category's share of the payment follows the plan's base rate for that segment.
Does HCC 18 count together with related categories?
No. Within a hierarchy only the most severe category is paid. HCC 18 is dropped when HCC 17 (Cancer Metastatic to Lung, Liver, Brain, and Other Organs; Acute Myeloid Leukemia Except Promyelocytic) is also present, and it drops HCC 19, HCC 20, HCC 21, HCC 22, HCC 23 when it is present.
What has to be documented for HCC 18 to be valid?
The diagnosis must be recorded by an acceptable provider type during a face-to-face or audio-video encounter in the service year, with the note showing that the condition was monitored, evaluated, assessed or treated. Risk adjustment data validation audits recover payment for categories the record does not support, so the code on the claim and the assessment in the note must match.
Sources
Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-02. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions.
- ICD-10-CM to CMS-HCC V28 mappings, payment year 2027 initialVersion PY2027 initial ICD-10-CM mappings (dates of service 2026) · effective 2027-01-01 · file 2027 Initial ICD-10-CM Mappings.csvSHA-256 9c260b06d0dd2806…
- CMS-HCC V28 model software: labels, hierarchies and relative factorsVersion CMS-HCC V28 software V2826.115.T2 (PY2027 initial) · effective 2027-01-01 · file C2824T2N.csvSHA-256 20f38d537493b41c…
Disclaimer
Relative factors and mappings are reproduced from the CMS risk adjustment model files as an operational reference. Payment depends on the plan's base rate, normalization, the coding intensity adjustment and the enrollee's segment. Not legal, clinical or billing advice.