2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C02.9Malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C00-C14›C02

ICD-10-CM C02.9
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

C02.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 11 through 13, 146 through 148. Coders also document this condition as local recurrence of malignant neoplasm of soft tissue. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Head and neck cancers - lip and oral cavity.

For Medicare Advantage risk adjustment, C02.9 maps to CMS-HCC Category 21 (Lymphoma and Other Cancers) under the V28 model, adding a risk factor of about 0.671 for a community, non-dual, aged beneficiary in payment year 2026.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
C02.9
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified
Short Description
Malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
C02
Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue

Code Classification

ChapterC00–D49Neoplasms
SectionC00-C14Malignant neoplasms of lip, oral cavity and pharynx
CategoryC02Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue
This CodeC02.9Malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified

Medicare Risk Adjustment (HCC)Billing

C02.9 maps to a payment category in the CMS-HCC model used to risk-adjust Medicare Advantage payments. Weights are the published community factors for payment year 2026.

CMS-HCC V28 Category (Payment Model)
HCC 21— Lymphoma and Other Cancers
Payment HCC · PY 2026 one of 463 ICD-10-CM codes in this category
Risk Adjustment Factor (RAF) Weight
+0.671
community, non-dual, aged · ranges 0.493–0.739 across segments
Hierarchy
Superseded by HCC 17, HCC 18, HCC 19, and HCC 20
a more severe related category takes the payment when both are reported
Prior Model (CMS-HCC V24)
HCC 11
V24 retired V28 pays 100% of MA risk scores since PY 2026
Other CMS Models
PACE (CMS-HCC V22): HCC 11 · ESRD (V21): HCC 11 · ESRD (V24): HCC 11
ESRD V21 weights: 0.076 dialysis, 0.284–0.298 functioning graft · ESRD V24 weights: 0.059 dialysis, 0.257–0.362 functioning graft
Part D (RxHCC)
RxHCC 22 — Prostate, Breast, Bladder, and Other Cancers and Tumors
also risk-adjusts in the Part D prescription drug model (V08)

Source: CMS Payment Year 2026 risk adjustment mappings and model software. Weights are relative factors, not dollar amounts; a beneficiary's total RAF also includes demographics and interactions. Browse all CMS-HCC categories.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Local recurrence of malignant neoplasm of soft tissue
  • Local recurrence of malignant neoplasm of tongue
  • Malignant melanoma of tongue
  • Malignant neoplasm of tongue
  • Primary malignant neoplasm of tongue
  • Primary tongue carcinoma
  • Squamous cell carcinoma of tongue
  • Tongue carcinoma

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR NEO002
Head and neck cancers - lip and oral cavity
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Ankyloglossia

    a severe congenital restriction of tongue movement, resulting from fusion or adherence of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. in partial ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) the lingual frenum is abnormally short, or is attached too close to the tip of the tongue. omim: 106280

  • Bluetongue

    a reovirus infection, chiefly of sheep, characterized by a swollen blue tongue, catarrhal inflammation of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, and often by inflammation of sensitive laminae of the feet and coronet.

  • Body Piercing

    the perforation of an anatomical region for the wearing of jewelry.

  • Electronic Nose

    a device used to detect airborne odors, gases, flavors, volatile substances or vapors.

  • Fasciculation

    involuntary contraction of the muscle fibers innervated by a motor unit. fasciculations may be visualized as a muscle twitch or dimpling under the skin, but usually do not generate sufficient force to move a limb. they may represent a benign condition or occur as a manifestation of motor neuron disease or peripheral nervous system diseases. (adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, p1294)

  • Glossitis, Benign Migratory

    an idiopathic disorder of the tongue characterized by the loss of filiform papillae leaving reddened areas of circinate macules bound by a white band. the lesions heal, then others erupt.

  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional

    a system of traditional medicine which is based on the beliefs and practices of the chinese culture.

  • Oral Frenectomy

    surgical procedures to release or remove abnormally short or tightly attached frenum (e.g., lingual frenum or labial frenum) associated with a pathological condition (e.g., tongue tie and lip tie).

  • Pentastomida

    a subclass of crustacea comprising the tongue worms which are obligatory parasites of reptiles, birds, and mammals including humans.

  • Tongue

    a muscular organ in the mouth that is covered with pink tissue called mucosa, tiny bumps called papillae, and thousands of taste buds. the tongue is anchored to the mouth and is vital for chewing, swallowing, and for speech.

  • Tongue Diseases

    diseases involving the tongue.

  • Tongue Habits

    acquired responses regularly manifested by tongue movement or positioning.

  • Tongue Neoplasms

    tumors or cancer of the tongue.

  • Tongue, Fissured

    the occurrence of of breaks or slits in the tissue of the dorsal surface of the tongue.

  • Tongue, Hairy

    a benign condition of the tongue characterized by hypertrophy of the filiform papillae that give the dorsum of the tongue a furry appearance. the color of the elongated papillae varies from yellowish white to brown or black, depending upon staining by substances such as tobacco, food, or drugs. (dorland, 27th ed)

Table of NeoplasmsClinical

Anatomical sites in the Table of Neoplasms that reference this code family.

SiteMalig.
Primary		Malig.
Secondary		Ca
in situ		BenignUncertainUnspec.
lingual NEC [See Also: Neoplasm, tongue]C02.9C79.89D00.07D10.1D37.02D49.0
tongueC02.9C79.89D00.07D10.1D37.02D49.0

Patient EducationClinical

Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is cancer of the mouth. It is a type of head and neck cancer. Most oral cancers are squamous cell cancers. They begin in the flat cells that cover the surfaces of your mouth, tongue, and lips. The cancer cells may spread into deeper tissue as the cancer grows.

The full article covers:

  • What is oral cancer?
  • Who is more likely to develop oral cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of oral cancer?
  • How is oral cancer diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for oral cancer?
  • Can oral cancer be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert C02.9 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
141.9 Malig neo tongue NOS
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About C02.9Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified?

The ICD-10-CM code for malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified is C02.9 (sometimes written as C029). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Is C02.9 (Malignant neoplasm of other and unspecified parts of tongue) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does C02.9 group to?

When malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 11, 12, 13, 146, 147, 148, with relative weights from 0.7971 to 5.4541 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of C02.9?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified converts to ICD-9-CM 141.9 (malig neo tongue NOS). The mapping is a direct match.

What HCC is C02.9?

C02.9 (malignant neoplasm of tongue, unspecified) maps to CMS-HCC Category 21 (Lymphoma and Other Cancers), commonly written as HCC 21, in the CMS-HCC V28 model used for Medicare Advantage risk adjustment in payment year 2026. It mapped to HCC 11 under the retired V24 model. It also maps in the PACE (CMS-HCC V22), ESRD (V21), and ESRD (V24) models. In the Part D prescription drug model it maps to RxHCC 22.

Does C02.9 risk-adjust for Medicare Advantage payment?

Yes. When documented and reported on a Medicare Advantage encounter, C02.9 adds a risk adjustment factor of about 0.671 to the beneficiary's RAF score for a community, non-dual, aged enrollee (published V28 weights range from 0.493 to 0.739 depending on the payment segment). A more severe related category (HCC 17, HCC 18, HCC 19, and HCC 20) supersedes it when both are reported. See the full factor table on the HCC 21 category page.