# ICD Code Finder for CDI Specialists URL: https://icdcodefinder.com/for/cdi-specialists Updated: 2026-10-30 > CDI specialists use ICD Code Finder to see quickly what specificity a code needs (laterality, type, 7th character), read every instructional note including inherited Excludes1 notes, spot codes that map to HCC V28, and draft compliant, non-leading physician queries with AI help. It supports CDI judgment; it does not replace it. ## Key takeaways - Code pages show the more specific codes under any header, which is often exactly the detail a query needs to ask about. - Instructional notes from parent codes are shown on every code, labeled with their source. - The AI Query Builder drafts non-leading queries; every draft must be reviewed before it is sent. - Do not paste patient identifiers. De-identify text before using any AI tool. Clinical documentation integrity work sits between the clinical record and the code set. The questions are usually the same: is this documented specifically enough to code accurately, and if not, how do I ask the provider without leading them? ICD Code Finder is built to make the code-set side of that question fast. ## See what specificity a code needs Open any code and you see the codes beneath it, with the billable ones marked. If documentation only supports a header or an unspecified code, the list of more specific codes shows what details (type, site, laterality, acuity, cause) the classification can capture. That list is often the clearest basis for a query. For injury and other categories that require a 7th character, the code page shows the 7th character table and where the rule is defined. ## Read every note, including inherited ones Instructional notes often live at the category or block, not at the code you are looking at. Each code page shows its own notes and the notes inherited from its parents, labeled with the code they come from: - Excludes1 and Excludes2 - Code first, Use additional code and Code also - Includes notes and inclusion terms ## HCC V28 flags Code pages carry an **HCC V28** badge for codes that map to a payment HCC in the mapping loaded with the code set. This helps prioritize review, but it never changes what may be coded: codes come from documentation only. See the [HCC V28 overview](/learn/hcc-v28-overview). ## Draft non-leading queries The **Query Builder** AI tool drafts a provider query from a de-identified documentation excerpt and the question you need answered. Drafts aim to be non-leading: present the clinical indicators, offer reasonable options including "other" and "unable to determine", and avoid implying a desired answer. You review and edit every draft before it is used. Other AI tools that support CDI review: - **Guidelines Chat** answers questions about the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, with citations to the relevant section. - **Note → Codes** suggests codes from a de-identified note, each checked against the current code set, for comparison with your own review. ## Privacy Do not enter patient identifiers. ICD Code Finder does not store clinical text, removes common identifiers on your device and again on the server before text reaches the AI provider, and asks you to confirm the text is de-identified. No automated scrubber is perfect. The self-serve plans are not covered by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA); contact us if your organization needs one. ## What it does not do - It does not replace CDI or coding judgment, your organization's query policy, or the Official Guidelines. - It does not connect to an EHR or read patient records. - AI output is a suggestion that must be verified. ## Frequently asked questions **Does ICD Code Finder write queries for me?** The Query Builder drafts a provider query from a de-identified documentation excerpt and the clinical question. The draft is a starting point; you review and edit it so it is compliant, non-leading and appropriate before sending it through your organization's process. **Can I paste clinical notes into the AI tools?** Only de-identified text. ICD Code Finder does not store clinical text, removes common identifiers before text reaches the AI provider and asks you to confirm de-identification, but no automated scrubber is perfect. The self-serve plans are not covered by a Business Associate Agreement. **Does it show HCC information?** Code pages show an HCC V28 badge when a code maps to a payment HCC in the mapping loaded with the code set. Confirm against the CMS mapping for the payment year. --- Informational, not coding advice. This page summarizes ICD-10-CM conventions for education. Always code from the medical record using the current ICD-10-CM Tabular List, Alphabetic Index and Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, plus payer policy. Disclaimer: ICD Code Finder is an informational tool and is not a substitute for professional coding judgment, payer policy, or the official ICD-10-CM classification and guidelines. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CMS, NCHS, or the World Health Organization. AI suggestions require review by a qualified coder.