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HCC 68: Cholangitis and Obstruction of Bile Duct Without Gallstones

HCC 68, Cholangitis and Obstruction of Bile Duct Without Gallstones, is one of the 115 payment categories in the CMS-HCC V28 model. 8 ICD-10-CM codes map to it in the payment year 2027 mapping, and a documented diagnosis in the category adds a relative factor of 0.388 to the risk score of a community, non-dual, aged beneficiary (0.383 disabled, 0.090 institutional). It is overridden when a more severe category in its hierarchy is present (HCC 62, HCC 63, HCC 64).

QuickIntell editorial content · Legacy registry date · Review not verified

Data effective
Data currency: ICD-10-CM to HCC mapping PY2027 initial (effective dates of service 2026, payment year 2027); CMS-HCC V28 model software V2826.115.T2 (effective payment year 2027). Next CMS release: PY2027 midyear final mapping (spring 2027) and PY2028 proposed model (February 2027).
Mapped ICD-10-CM codes
8
Factor, community non-dual aged
0.388
Factor, institutional
0.090
Hierarchy
Overridden by HCC 62, HCC 63, HCC 64

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.

CMS-HCC V28 relative factors for HCC 68 by model segment
SegmentModel codeRelative factor
Community, non-dual, agedCNA_HCC680.388
Community, non-dual, disabledCND_HCC680.383
Community, full-benefit dual, agedCFA_HCC680.085
Community, full-benefit dual, disabledCFD_HCC680.354
Community, partial-benefit dual, agedCPA_HCC680.391
Community, partial-benefit dual, disabledCPD_HCC680.270
Long-term institutionalINS_HCC680.090

Hierarchy

Hierarchical condition categories pay only the most severe manifestation of a disease. When HCC 62 (Liver Transplant Status/Complications) or HCC 63 (Chronic Liver Failure/End-Stage Liver Disorders) or HCC 64 (Cirrhosis of Liver) is also documented for the same beneficiary, HCC 68 is dropped from the score.

ICD-10-CM codes that map to HCC 68

8 codes map to this category in the PY2027 initial mapping, concentrated in the K83 (3), Q44 (3), K74 (2) 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 codes mapped to HCC 68 in the CMS PY2027 initial mapping
ICD-10-CMDescription
K743Primary biliary cirrhosis
K745Biliary cirrhosis, unspecified
K8301Primary sclerosing cholangitis
K8309Other cholangitis
K831Obstruction of bile duct
Q442Atresia of bile ducts
Q443Congenital stenosis and stricture of bile ducts
Q4471Alagille syndrome

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 categories that the HCC 68 codes mapped to
V22 HCCCodes
282

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 68?

8 ICD-10-CM codes map to HCC 68 in the CMS PY2027 initial mapping, for example K743 Primary biliary cirrhosis; K745 Biliary cirrhosis, unspecified; K8301 Primary sclerosing cholangitis; K8309 Other cholangitis. 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 68 add to a risk score?

The V28 relative factor for HCC 68 is 0.388 for a community, non-dual, aged beneficiary, 0.085 for full-benefit dual aged, 0.383 for non-dual disabled and 0.090 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 68 count together with related categories?

No. Within a hierarchy only the most severe category is paid. HCC 68 is dropped when HCC 62 (Liver Transplant Status/Complications) or HCC 63 (Chronic Liver Failure/End-Stage Liver Disorders) or HCC 64 (Cirrhosis of Liver) is also present.

What has to be documented for HCC 68 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.

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.