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H60.5 vs L24

H60.5 (Acute noninfective otitis externa) compared with L24 (Irritant contact dermatitis), from the official CMS tabular data. Both may be reported when both conditions are documented (Excludes2).

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented. L24 carries an Excludes2 note covering H60.5: “eczema of external ear (H60.5-)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

Side by side

H60.5Acute noninfective otitis externaL24Irritant contact dermatitis
Billing statusNon-billable header

Report instead: H60.501, H60.502, H60.503, H60.509, H60.511

Non-billable header

Report instead: L24.0, L24.1, L24.2, L24.3, L24.4

ClassificationH60-H95 — Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95)L00-L99 — Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue (L00-L99)
DefinitionAcute noninfective otitis externa is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (H60.5).Irritant contact dermatitis is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (L24).
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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources