H61.20 (Impacted cerumen, unspecified ear) compared with H61.22 (Impacted cerumen, left ear), from the official CMS tabular data. H61.20 and H61.22 code the same condition on opposite sides.
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)
Same condition, opposite side. H61.20 and H61.22 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.
| H61.20Impacted cerumen, unspecified ear | H61.22Impacted cerumen, left ear | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | H60-H95 — Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95) | H60-H95 — Diseases of the Ear and Mastoid Process (H60-H95) |
| Definition | Impacted cerumen, unspecified ear is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (H61.20). | Impacted cerumen, left ear is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (H61.22). |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources