C81.91 — Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck

BillableUnspecifiedCC

Is C81.91 billable?

Yes, but C81.91 is an unspecified code. C81.91 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, C81.91 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting C81.91 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.

More specific alternatives

C81.91 at a glance

Code	C81.91
Description	Hodgkin lymphoma, unspecified, lymph nodes of head, face, and neck
Billable	Yes
Code set	ICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encounters	October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

Which MS-DRGs does C81.91 group to?

C81.91 sits in MDC Pre and helps define the logic of 3 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.

011Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with MCCsurgical
012Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with CCsurgical
013Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy without CC/MCCsurgical

As a secondary diagnosis, C81.91 is a complication or comorbidity (CC), which can move a stay into a higher-paying DRG.

How is C81.91 listed in the Alphabetic Index?

The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under C81.9, the nearest indexed parent of C81.91. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.

Granuloma › Hodgkin
Lymphoma › Hodgkin (of) (malignant)

Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from C81

The conditions below can never be reported together with C81.91 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

personal history of Hodgkin lymphoma (Z85.71)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from C81-C96

The conditions below are not part of C81.91, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, C81.91 and the excluded code may both be reported.

Kaposi's sarcoma of lymph nodes (C46.3)
secondary and unspecified neoplasm of lymph nodes (C77.-)
secondary neoplasm of bone marrow (C79.52)
secondary neoplasm of spleen (C78.89)

How long has C81.91 existed?

C81.91 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.

Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.