2026 ICD-10-CM Code Update: What You REALLY Need to Know
Medical coding isn’t static — it evolves every year. For the 2026 cycle starting October 1, 2025, the ICD-10-CM code set has been updated with hundreds of changes you must be aware of before you sit for exams or start real coding work. The update includes 487 brand-new codes, 38 revised codes, and 28 deletions across multiple disease categories. That means conditions you learned last year might be coded differently now — especially in areas like cancer coding, pain symptoms, and specific clinical presentations. Staying updated helps you avoid claim denials and ensures your documentation aligns with what payers expect.
Student tip: Bookmark the official CMS update PDF and review code changes by chapter — it’ll save you time in revision!