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H60.501 vs H60.502

H60.501 (Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, right ear) compared with H60.502 (Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, left ear), from the official CMS tabular data. H60.501 and H60.502 code the same condition on opposite sides.

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

H60.501
Right
Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, right ear
H60.502
Left
Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, left ear

Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.

These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

Same condition, opposite side. H60.501 and H60.502 name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.

Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Side by side

H60.501Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, right earH60.502Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, left ear
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationH60-H95 — Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95)H60-H95 — Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95)
DefinitionUnspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, right ear is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (H60.501).Unspecified acute noninfective otitis externa, left ear is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (H60.502).

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources