2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code C49.0Malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck
ICD-10-CM Codes›C00–D49›C45-C49›C49
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity
- Risk Adjusts — HCC 21
- Chronic Condition
C49.0 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 542 through 544. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 2 closely related codes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Sarcoma.
For Medicare Advantage risk adjustment, C49.0 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
Code Classification
Medicare Risk Adjustment (HCC)Billing
C49.0 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.
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.
- Angiosarcoma of cheek
- Leiomyosarcoma of scalp
- Malignant neoplasm of cartilage of ear
- Malignant neoplasm of soft tissue of face
- Malignant neoplasm of soft tissue of head
- Malignant neoplasm of soft tissue of head and/or neck
- Malignant neoplasm of soft tissue of neck
- Malignant neoplasm of tarsus of eyelid
- Malignant neoplasm soft tissues of cervical spine
- Neoplasm of blood vessel of face
- Neoplasm of blood vessel of neck
- Neoplasm of muscle of face
- Neoplasm of muscle of head
- Neoplasm of muscle of neck
- Primary adenocarcinoma of head
- Primary angiosarcoma of face
- Primary angiosarcoma of head
- Primary angiosarcoma of neck
- Primary leiomyosarcoma of face
- Primary leiomyosarcoma of head
- Primary leiomyosarcoma of neck
- Primary liposarcoma of soft tissue of face
- Primary liposarcoma of soft tissue of neck
- Primary liposarcoma of soft tissues of head
- Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of face
- Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of head
- Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of soft tissues of neck
- Primary malignant neoplasm of blood vessel of face
- Primary malignant neoplasm of blood vessel of head
- Primary malignant neoplasm of blood vessel of neck
- Primary malignant neoplasm of muscle of face
- Primary malignant neoplasm of muscle of head
- Primary malignant neoplasm of muscle of neck
- Primary malignant neoplasm of soft tissues of face
- Primary malignant neoplasm of soft tissues of head
- Primary malignant neoplasm of soft tissues of neck
- Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of face
- Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of head
- Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of neck
- Primary sarcoma of head
- Primary sarcoma of neck
- Primary sarcoma of tongue
- Sarcoma of face
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Inclusion Terms
- Malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of ear
- Malignant neoplasm of connective tissue of eyelid
Type 1 Excludes
- connective tissue of orbit C69.6
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Table of NeoplasmsClinical
Anatomical sites in the Table of Neoplasms that reference this code family.
| Site | Malig. Primary | Malig. Secondary | Ca in situ | Benign | Uncertain | Unspec. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| carotid (artery) | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| cartilage (articular) (joint) NEC [See Also: Neoplasm, bone] › auricular | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| cartilage (articular) (joint) NEC [See Also: Neoplasm, bone] › ear (external) | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| cartilage (articular) (joint) NEC [See Also: Neoplasm, bone] › eyelid | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| cartilage (articular) (joint) NEC [See Also: Neoplasm, bone] › pinna | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › auricle (ear) | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › cervical region | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › cheek | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › chin | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › ear (external) | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › eyelid | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › face | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › forehead | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › head | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › neck | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › pterygoid fossa | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › scalp | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › submental | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › supraclavicular region | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › temple | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| connective tissue NEC › temporal region | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| ear (external) [See Also: Neoplasm, skin, ear] › cartilage | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| eyelid (lower) (skin) (upper) › cartilage | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| fossa (of) › pterygoid | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
| pterygoid fossa | C49.0 | C79.89 | – | D21.0 | D48.1 | D49.2 |
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Convert C49.0 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About C49.0Overview
Is C49.0 (Malignant neoplasm of other connective and soft tissue) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does C49.0 group to?
When malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 542, 543, 544, with relative weights from 0.7546 to 1.7665 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is C49.0 a CC or MCC?
CMS lists C49.0 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2026. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 2 closely related codes in its exclusion list.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of C49.0?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck converts to ICD-9-CM 171.0 (mal neo soft tissue head). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
What HCC is C49.0?
C49.0 (malignant neoplasm of connective and soft tissue of head, face and neck) 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 10 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 C49.0 risk-adjust for Medicare Advantage payment?
Yes. When documented and reported on a Medicare Advantage encounter, C49.0 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.
