C15.9 — Malignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecified
C15.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for malignant neoplasm of esophagus, unspecified. It is valid for submission on a claim.
Other codes that can never be billed with C15.9
These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at C15.9. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading C15.9 alone.
- K22.7Barrett's esophagus
Risk adjustment
C15.9 risk-adjusts. Under the CMS-HCC V28 model it maps to this category:
- HCC 20 Lung and Other Severe Cancers1.136 RAF
Coefficient shown for the Community Non-dual Aged segment. A higher HCC in the same hierarchy will suppress this one, so capturing it does not always add score.
Medicare coverage
C15.9 is named in 59 Medicare coverage policies — 59 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which of them applies to you depends on your Medicare contractor, and coverage genuinely differs by state.
- A52450Billing and Coding: Paclitaxel (e.g., Taxol®/Abraxane ™)
- A52479Oral Anticancer Drugs - Policy Article
- A52479Oral Anticancer Drugs - Policy Article
- A52479Oral Anticancer Drugs - Policy Article
Code history
C15.9 has not changed since FY2024 — no addition, revision or deletion across the three most recent ICD-10-CM releases.
Related codes at this level
Codes that share C15. If C15.9 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.
Questions about C15.9
- Is C15.9 a billable ICD-10-CM code?
- Yes. C15.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
- Where does C15.9 sit in the tabular list?
- Neoplasms (C00-D49), in the block Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs (C15-C26).