Is C26.9 a billable ICD-10-CM code?

Yes. C26.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.

Where does C26.9 sit in the tabular list?

Neoplasms (C00-D49), in the block Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs (C15-C26).

What cannot be coded together with C26.9?

C26.9 carries Excludes1 notes, which means the conditions they list can never be coded together with it on the same encounter. Some are written on the categories above C26.9 (C26) and apply to it just the same.

C26.9

C26.9 — Malignant neoplasm of ill-defined sites within the digestive system

Billable / specific codeICD-10-CM

C26.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code for malignant neoplasm of ill-defined sites within the digestive system. It is valid for submission on a claim.

Excludes1 — never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

malignant neoplasm of abdominal NOS (C76.2)
malignant neoplasm of intra-abdominal NOS (C76.2)

Inclusion terms

Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.

Malignant neoplasm of alimentary canal or tract NOS
Malignant neoplasm of gastrointestinal tract NOS

Excludes1 inherited from the categories above C26.9

These are not written on C26.9, but they bind it: a note on a category applies to every code beneath it. Billing C26.9 with anything listed here is a denial.

Written on C26 — Malignant neoplasm of other and ill-defined digestive organs

malignant neoplasm of peritoneum and retroperitoneum (C48.-)

Risk adjustment

C26.9 risk-adjusts. Under the CMS-HCC V28 model it maps to this category:

HCC 22 Bladder, Colorectal, and Other Cancers0.363 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

C26.9 is named in 56 Medicare coverage policies — 56 listing it as supporting medical necessity. Which of them applies to you depends on your Medicare contractor, and coverage genuinely differs by state.

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Code history

C26.9 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 C26. If C26.9 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about C26.9

Is C26.9 a billable ICD-10-CM code?: Yes. C26.9 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code and is valid for submission on a claim.
Where does C26.9 sit in the tabular list?: Neoplasms (C00-D49), in the block Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs (C15-C26).
What cannot be coded together with C26.9?: C26.9 carries Excludes1 notes, which means the conditions they list can never be coded together with it on the same encounter. Some are written on the categories above C26.9 (C26) and apply to it just the same.